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

No. 35January – March 2000

THE Nanyang BusinessSchool (NBS) isrevamping itsaccountancy andbusiness undergraduateprogrammes to betterequip graduates with theintellectual tools tocontribute effectively inthe new knowledge-based economy. Thechanges to the Bachelorof Accountancy (BAcc)and Bachelor of Business(BBus) courses include

Nanyang Technological University Singapore

City campus opens 2 Supercomputing sensations 4 Colours of 1st Jan 8

“… three key trends have pushed the School tomake the wide-ranging changes. They are theadvent of the knowledge-based economy wherethe ability to learn and adapt are the key tosuccess, the increasing use of technology in thebusiness environment, and the globalisation ofbusinesses.” - Prof Neo Boon Siong, Dean ofNanyang Business School

The challenge: producing graduates whoare street-smart, computer savvy andmethodical. NTU has taken it upon itself toensure that its graduates will enter theworkforce with these qualities and more.Taking the lead is the Nanyang BusinessSchool which is overhauling its curriculumin stages

Course content changes• All BAcc and BBus students have to read two new subjects:

Strategic Management and Political Economy of East Asia• Contact hours for the research methods course will be increased

to develop process skills used in identifying business issues,designing studies, and analysing and interpreting findings

Key changes to BAcc degreeStudents pursuing the BAcc degree will see an increased focus on:• Thinking frameworks and tools (as against rules and conventions)• An understanding of the expanded role of accounting in business

and society, such as the role of accounting in capital markets andin business contracts

• Understanding strategy, business processes and risksmanagement

• Producing and evaluating information for decision-making

Key changes to BBus degree• A new specialisation, Information Technology, will equip students

with the technical and business competencies for exploiting ITand e-commerce in the new knowledge-based economy

• Two specialisations will undergo substantial curriculum revisions.In Banking & Finance, there will be a shift from a focus on rulesand conventions to one based on developments in financial theoryand modelling. Due to the quantitative nature of leading-edgefinancial practice, students will have to read courses onmathematics. In Human Resource Consulting, students will betrained to take on jobs of headhunters, compensation specialists,and consultants on personnel policy, training, and changemanagement issues. They will be certified to use key personalityor psychological tools and will learn negotiation skills, consultingand change management skills, comparative employment law,industrial relations, and compensation and benefits schemes

• The other three specialisations will also see a shift in emphasis.Changes to Actuarial Science will tie in with the requirements ofthe Institute of Actuaries in UK. More conceptual and quantitativeskills will be emphasised in Applied Economics. In Marketing,the focus will be on cross-cultural effects on buyer behaviour, aswell as technology effects on marketing, logistics management,and promotions management

For all BBus students, the number of core subjects required foreach specialisation has been reduced from 10 to 7 to free up moreelectives for students to offer subjects in other areas. This is inline with the broadening of education and the need formultidisciplinary skills and knowledge

Pedagogical changes• More technology-oriented, Internet-based, CD-ROM and

computer-assisted learning• Greater focus on process and experiential learning (e.g.

independent search and evaluation of information, more open-ended questions and case studies)

• Greater focus on systems thinking and learning (e.g. businesssimulations and games that stimulate creativity)

• More emphasis on oral and written communication skills• Testing and evaluation changes (i.e. more emphasis on continuous

learning and project work, more open-book examinations to testanalytical thinking and application skills)

content changes and changes in teaching and evaluation methods. Thechanges are already being implemented.

In the review process, inputs were obtained from various sources suchas the benchmarking and review of accounting and business programmesof the world’s top universities and major professional bodies, advice fromrenowned accounting and business professors, as well as feedback frommajor employers and past graduates.

Commenting on the curriculum revamp, Mr Michael Lim, ExecutiveChairman of PriceWaterhouseCoopers Singapore, said: “NTU is movingin the right direction. The stronger focus on strategic management and ITis timely.”

NTU students also welcomed the move. Alex Toh, President of theAccountancy and Business Club of NBS, welcomed the introduction oftwo new core subjects, Strategic Management and Political Economy ofEast Asia. He said: “Graduates will obtain a better understanding of thesocial and political environment of the countries in which their companiesoperate. We think that the greater weight given to project work is timely.I must say we are excited and pretty envious that this freshmen cohortwill be experiencing these changes. All the seniors will have to work harderand smarter to strengthen our skills in these areas.” ■

2 NTU News

New Deputy PresidentProf Cheong Hee Kiat, 45, Dean of the School of Civil and

Structural Engineering (CSE), assumed the post of Deputy Presidentwef 12 January 2000. He is in charge of the implementation of digitaltechnology at NTU and oversees the Centre for Continuing Education.

Describing his new role, Prof Cheong said: “My immediate taskis to look into the integration of services provided by CED, CITS andthe Library to achieve more synergistic and efficient operations andmore complementary services for our users. This will give us the right

NTU President, Dr Cham Tao Soon,officially opened the new NTU ExecutiveCentre (NEC) on 2 November 1999. Theofficial opening, attended by about 100invited guests, reflects the University’scontinuing effort to meet the pressing needfor continuing education for professionals.Going where the crowd is, NEC bringssome of NTU’s postgraduate and executivetraining programmes to the heart of theCentral Business District (CBD). It alsopaves the way for the establishment of theUniversity’s permanent city campus in fiveyears.

NEC, occupying an area of about 7,000sq ft, has state-of-the-art teaching facilitiesand equipment which are available to stafffrom both the Bukit Timah and Yunnan

City campus opens

Changes to key senior appointments

The NTU Executive Centre at Orchard Road -continuing education hub for professionals -officially opened its doors on 2 November 1999.It paves the way for a permanent city campus,to be ready in 5 years

NTU President, Dr Cham Tao Soon, unveilingthe commemorative plaque

Dr Cham (centre) with NEC Management Committee Members: (from left) Ms Jowe Chu, ProfNeo Boon Siong (Dean, NBS), Assoc Prof Branson Kwok (Chairman) and Assoc Prof Daniel Lwin(Director, CCE). Not in picture: Mr Teo Hak King

Heeding the call for life-long learning: theNTU Executive Centre’s convenient downtownlocation is also a boon for the busy cityprofessional

New NTU Deputy President, Prof Cheong Hee Kiat, now joins the ranks of Prof LimMong King and Prof Er Meng Hwa. Prof Chen Charng Ning has been appointed SeniorDirector in the President’s Office

setting to digitise our provision of courses and information. Right now,there is some overlap of services.”

“As for continuing education, we will work on developing andpresenting our courses in a more structured way for staff, alumni andthe public. This requires better planning and coordination; coursescan be neatly clustered by level, interest and subject matter ratherthan being conducted on an ad-hoc basis, and timed to reach outbetter to the public. In the longer term, we should partner closely withour Alumni Clubs and industry to determine training needs. In thisway, courses will stay useful and relevant. On-site learning shouldalso become commonplace.”

Garden campuses. About 50% of the MBAclasses of the Nanyang Business School(NBS) are currently being held at theCentre. Since 1 October 1999, NEC hasalso been a popular venue for executivetraining courses organised by the Centrefor Continuing Education (CCE) and manyother research centres. The MBA andexecutive training courses have receivedoverwhelming response from workingprofessionals.

“Registration for courses held at theCentre has gone up, and so hasattendance. Instructors also say that thestudents are more punctual, as they don’thave to rush all the way to Jurong and getcaught in the traffic jams,” remarked ProfNeo Boon Siong, Dean of NBS.

At the opening, Dr Cham disclosed theUniversity’s application to the Government

for a two-ha city campus which will take5,000 students when completed. It ishoped that the NEC will continue to operateeven after the new city campus opens.Until the bigger campus becomes a reality,however, NEC will continue to play animportant role in fostering closerinteractions between NTU andprofessionals working in the downtownareas. ■

Any enquiries relating to NEC can bedirected to Assoc Prof Branson Kwok ofNBS (email: abkwok@ntu.edu.sg). TheCentre is at 268 Orchard Road, #02-06 to09; tel: 743 2155; fax: 734 0368.

3NTU News

First Double Masters BusinessProgramme in Asia

From this July, students on the Master of BusinessAdministration in International Business programmewill receive a double degree if they spend their secondyear at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland

TWO universities from two differentcontinents, with different culturalbackgrounds, have pooled their expertisetogether to offer a double degree – aMaster of Business Administration inInternational Business from NTU and aMaster of International Management fromthe University of St Gallen – to studentswho complete the two-year full-timeprogramme. The course is open only toNTU students doing the MBA inInternational Business.

An interdisciplinary course whichteaches the best strategies of the East and

West, the double Masters programme aimsto strengthen the future global manager’sskil ls in the areas of InternationalManagement, Management of Technologyand Capital Transfers, and InternationalBusiness Law. Graduates of thisprogramme, possessing both Asian andEuropean perspectives and skills, will behighly sought after by Swiss and GermanMNCs operating in Asia.

NTU, being a technological universityof industry and business, is well positionedto train and develop our future businessleaders. The Nanyang MBA, well knownfor its focus on Asian business and regionaland international Business Study Missions,

Prof Cheong has held severalimportant administrative positions since hejoined the University in 1986. He wasappointed Assistant to the President in1987, became Sub-Dean of CSE in 1991,and has held Deanship of the School sinceJune 1996. From 1992 - 1996, he was theDirector of International Relations. Heobtained full Professorship in 1999.

Senior Director in the President’s Prof Cheong Hee Kiat

OfficeProf Chen Charng Ning has been appointed Senior Director

in the President’s Office wef 12 January 2000. He now assists thePresident by overseeing 4 administrative departments (EstateOffice, Development & Planning Office, Office of ProfessionalAttachments and Innovation Centre), and serving as theUniversity’s Quality Service Manager whose duties includeoverseeing the PS21 programmes/activities in the University. Thisis a part-time appointment and Prof Chen continues to serve asProfessor in the School of Civil & Structural Engineering. ■

NTU-St Gallen tie-up

East meets West: (from left) Prof Neo Boon Siong, Dean of Nanyang Business School; Dr ChamTao Soon, NTU President; Dr Peter Gomez, Rector of University of St Gallen; and Mr RaymondLoretan, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Singapore, at the MOU-signing

Not just an Asian perspective for our MBAstudents

has been consistently ranked among thetop MBAs in Asia in the last few years. TheUniversity of St Gallen, on its part, hasbeen identified as one of Europe’s leadingbusiness schools and is ranked among thetop three German-speaking universitiesoverall. Numerous leading MNCs andbanks regard St Gallen as their preferredrecruiting ground.

With over 270 Swiss companieslocated in Singapore, and more to come,there is an increasing need for businessleaders adept at applying cross-culturalstrategies. Already, several Swiss andGerman firms based in Singapore areexploring the option of offeringscholarships and jobs to students on thisprogramme to help offset the course feeof $10,500 a year.

“The interactions of students from bothuniversities will provide opportunities toengage in intellectual discussions thathopefully will lead to new and creativeideas. It is my wish that this collaborationbetween NTU and St Gallen will beexpanded to include other prominentuniversities in Europe,” said NTUPresident, Dr Cham Tao Soon. ■

AT A GLANCE

Roles of 3 NTU Deputy Presidents

Prof Lim Mong KingResponsible for promoting inter-school research and overseeing inter-schoolresearch centres and the Singapore-MIT Alliance; promoting inter-universityresearch collaborations; academic audit of the University and theEntrepreneurship Drive.

Prof Er Meng HwaResponsible for policy and organisation review to ensure efficient andeffective operations and practices in the University.

Prof Cheong Hee KiatResponsible for coordinating the operations of the Centre for IT Services,Library and Centre for Educational Development to derive synergy,especially in the area of digital media, and ensuring the use of the latesttechnology; overseeing the Centre for Continuing Education.

As these appointments are on a part-time basis, Professors Er Meng Hwaand Cheong Hee Kiat continue to hold their Deanship appointment in theirrespective Schools.

4 NTU News

NTU hogged the limelight at CrayQuest’99,bagging the top three of four prizes awarded.This annual competition attracted 15 entriesand NTU’s top three takings amounted to$23,000. The School of Mechanical andProduction Engineering (MPE) alone took theGrand Champion and Silver Awards, whilethe School of Applied Science (SAS) took theGold. Both MPE and SAS also secured winsin last year’s competition.

This annual event was organised by theInstitute of High Performance Computing(iHPC) and Silicon Graphics (SGI). Itencourages Singapore’s best industrial andacademic researchers to further enhancetheir research projects by exploiting highperformance computing technologies. Thisyear’s grand finale was held on 14 October1999.

Grand Champion Award ($10,000)Pulsatile Flow Study of Bi-leaflet MechanicalHeart Valve

This award was given to Assoc Prof YeoJoon Hock and his team comprising Asst ProfLim Chu-Sing and research student, Mr WangJunhong from the Cardiovascular DynamicsLaboratory. Their project is related to thedevelopment of a cardiovascular prosthesis, abi-leaflet mechanical heart valve (BMHV). Thisvalve is different as it has a novel design conceptwhich features a partially protruded ellipsoidalhinge that allows ‘positive washing’ of the bloodthat passes through it. It prevents potentialstagnation around the hinge region, whichcauses blood to clot and the valve to malfunctionas a result.

The impetus for this project came about

Clean sweep at supercomputing contestRemarkable. That’s the word to describe NTU’s super-hot performance in Singapore’spremier supercomputing contest, CrayQuest’99, where it bagged the top three offour prizes awarded

owing to the failure of a commercial BMHVin 1994 due to problems with the hingedesign. This project has given Singapore theopportunity to break into the high-tech nichecardiovascular engineering industry with astate-of-the art valve design. A US patentfor this protruded hinge was issued on 1 June1999 (US Patent No. 5,908,451).

Gold Award ($8,000)Meeting Challenges of Container PortOperations in the Next Millennium

Mr Vee Voon Yee (PhD student), Mr YeRong (MASc student), Miss Shah Sneha(Honours student) and Assoc Prof Hsu WenJing, Director of the Centre for AdvancedInformation Systems (CAIS), made up thewinning team. They developed a simulationmodel for the use of automated guided vehicles(AGVs) in a fully automated container port, atopic of significance to Singapore’s economy.

To achieve a performance highly scalableon multiprocessor computers, the team had toovercome the difficulties with the conventionalparallel simulation engines, and develop newlocality-preserving load-balancing mechanisms.They then implemented the simulation engineby using leading-edge technologies, including

CrayQuest’99 grand champs (from left) AsstProf Lim Chu-Sing, Assoc Prof Yeo Joon Hockand Mr Wang Junhong used supercomputersto simulate pulsatile flow through a mechanicalheart valve

Using supercomputers in port operationswon (from left) Assoc Prof Hsu Wen Jing, MrYe Rong, Mr Vee Voon Yee, and Miss ShahSneha the Gold Award

THE wording on the invitation sounded serious: “Adoption of MandaiForest by the National Institute of Education (NIE)”. Many must haveread those words with some incredulity. “NIE is adopting an entireforest?” Whatever it was that was being adopted on Saturday, 13November 1999, it almost looked as if it would never happen at all.

Heavy rains that Saturday morning showed no signs of lettingup in time for the scheduled 11am launch of the National Parks-NIEcollaborative project. By some stroke of luck, however, the torrentialdownpour became a drizzle, and just before the Guest-of-Honour,Assoc Prof Koo Tsai Kee, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministryof National Development, arrived, the heavens were kind enough toturn off the tap.

During the programme, people finally got an inkling of what the

NIE adopts Mandai Forestforest “adoption” was all about. NIE, together with the help of eightschools*, will take over the maintenance of two hectares of forestalong Mandai Road, not far from the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park.It will be the duty of NIE and its partners to help restore the forestpatch – degraded over the years by an invasion of a creeper knownas Smilax – to a semblance of its former magnificence.

The project aims to use habitat restoration as a means to facilitatehands-on learning of forest ecology and biodiversity; acquaintstudents, teachers and teacher trainees with field-based learningstrategies; and enable students from different schools to collaborateon a project that is both about learning and lending a helping handtowards our natural heritage. ■

* The eight partners are Corporation Primary, Henry Park Primary, Bukit ViewSecondary, Naval Base Secondary, Raffles Girls’ Secondary, River Valley High,Shibuya-Makuhari Senior High, and the Singapore American School.

a multi-threaded programming tool developedat MIT called Cilk. Their project is believed tobe the first in the world to have demonstratedthe use of parallel computers in port operations.

Silver Award ($5,000)Computational Methods for Single and Multi-disciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO)Enterprise

The winners of this award were AssocProf Murali Damodaran and his team, DrWang Xiaojian and research student LTC LeeShiang Long from the Centre for AdvancedNumerical Engineering Simulations(CANES). Their project is concerned with theintegration of the advances made in thedevelopment of sophisticated computationalmethods for analysis of complex engineeringsystems based on more exact mathematicalmodels such as Computational FluidDynamics and Finite Element Methods,numerical optimisation methods andadvanced computer architectures fordeveloping single and multi-disciplinarydesign optimisation (MDO). MDO enablesengineers to arrive at optimal designconfigurations of complex engineeringsystems in a cost-effective manner and inshorter turn-around times. ■

5NTU News

“Build a satellite ground station? No problem!”The first NTU-JC Challenge has taken off, promising a soaring experience for itsyoung adventurers, who spent their year-end vacation building satellite groundstations, solving tough problems, and developing innovative satellite applications.

TRIGGERING a keen interest in science andtechnology topics that go beyond the existingschool curriculum: this is what the NTU-JCChallenge, a new annual programmeorganised by the NTU Career GuidanceCommittee, hopes to do. Difficult problemsare posed to challenge JC students to thinkout of the box, and to encourage them torelate classroom-acquired knowledge to realproblems in advanced research topics.

High excitement: students learn more about satellite technologyfrom Assoc Prof Tan Soon Hie, Director of the SatelliteEngineering Centre (left)

For the inaugural NTU-JCChallenge 2000 supported by theMinistry of Education (MOE), NTU hasinvited about 300 students from 14 juniorcolleges and Jurong Institute to solvesome tough problems related to satellitetechnology. The students have to buildtheir own weather satellite terminals attheir schools and test their proposedsolutions on these terminals, as well asdevelop novel applications and servicesrelated to satellite technology.

Starting with the basics, Mr Chua Tai Wei from theSchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineeringdemonstrates how computer software is used to tracksatellites. Students have to process image datadownloaded from weather satellites

Online lecturing made easyOnline lecturing needs no expensive and complicated set-up to work. Dr FrancisLee of the School of Applied Science did it by simply plugging into two networkswith just a laptop and video camera

ON Wednesday, 22 September 1999, DrFrancis Lee, an Associate Professor from theDivision of Computing Systems at the Schoolof Applied Science, gave his usual weeklylecture to his students at NTU. Only for thisparticular lecture, he was located in theAustralian National University in Canberra.

Using the Singapore Advanced Researchand Educational Network (SingAREN) andthe Asia Pacific Advanced Network (Apan),Dr Lee was able give his lecture using onlya laptop and a video camera. This was thefirst video-conference set up with NTU thatdid not involve the use of expensive andcomplicated systems and special facilities,

and which did not rely on SingTel’svideo-conferencing services. Theadvantage of this system is that itallows greater mobility as the usersimply needs to plug a camerainto the notebook and dial-up theNTU network from any location,whether in the US, Europe,Japan, Korea, Indonesia,Thailand, or Australia.

Dr Lee, who hopes to conductmore of such “video-lectures” inthe future, feels that there is nowno reason to cancel lecturesbecause of overseas trips, and he

Precedent-setting: with Dr Lee’s inexpensive video-conference set-up, missed lectures will become a thing ofthe past

encourages other lecturers to follow suit.“The use of this new technology will make

life convenient for lecturers and students, andit is free,” he said. ■

satellite applications in Global Positioning,and feasibility analyses. Throughout theprogramme, the Committee providestechnical advice to the school teams via emailand the Web.

The students’ final results and inventionswill be presented at the Grand Finale of theNTU-JC Challenge on 12 February 2000 atNTU. Three SingTel-sponsored awards of$2,500 each - the Best Technical, BestPresentation and Most Novel ApplicationAwards - will be given out to the mostdeserving teams. ■

To prepare thestudents for the three-month Challenge, aTechnical Committeecomprising membersfrom different NTUSchools, led by Assoc ProfTan Soon Hie, Director ofNTU’s Satellite EngineeringCentre, was formed. After theofficial launch of the firstNTU-JC Challenge onTuesday, 16 November1999, the Committeeconducted a two-dayworkshop for the students.Workshop topics includedsatellite orbit model andsatellite data manipulation,

6 NTU News

ON 2 August 1999, the School of Civil &Structural Engineering (CSE) received agenerous cash donation of $100,000 fromM/s Continental Steel Pte Ltd, a majorlocal stockholder and supplier of qualitystructural steel sections and plates.Together with the matching government

grant, this donation will be used to set upan endowment fund to be named after thedonor. The yearly proceeds from this fundwill be used to support a Book Prize, anAward, a Bursary, and a Research Fundto support research activities related tostructural steel undertaken byundergraduate students.

On 13 September 1999, Infineon

Two companies have made generous donations of$100,000 each to support teaching and researchactivities at NTU

Boost for NTU Endowment Fund

highly integrated system ICs, memory andhigh-frequency components, smart cardICs, discrete semiconductors, sensors, andfiber-optic components. The collaborationbetween Infineon and CHiPES has comeabout because of the complementary rolesthat both play in the development ofembedded systems.

With the Infineon-CHiPES partnership,CHiPES will become the competencecentre for all issues relating to embeddedsystems specification, design, anddevelopment. Infineon will in turn benefitby tapping into the innovative research ofNTU’s faculty and students. ■

ON Monday, 25 October 1999,more than 250 participantsattended a public seminarorganised by the School of Civil& Structural Engineering (CSE)on the earthquake which struckthe Chi Chi area in Taiwan on21 September 1999. Theseminar featured the first-handexperiences of a five-memberreconnaissance team whichvisited the earthquake-stricken

In October 1999, three NTU dons visited theearthquake-hit region in Taiwan. They survivedaftershocks and returned to give their accountat a seminar

All shook up

CSE Dean, Prof Cheong Hee Kiat, receiving the chequefrom Mr Tommy Chua, Director, M/s Continental Steel PteLtd

R&D boost for CHiPES: (from left) Mr RobertHawliczek (CFO of Infineon Technologies), ProfHarcharan Singh (Dean, SAS), and Prof BrianLee with the donation cheque

Jaded temple: team members in front of a collapsed templenear the earthquake epicentre at Chi Chi

Crumpled heaps everywhere, such as thiscollapsed high-rise residential building

operations, for the commander to meet us,there came a big vertical jerk with athumping sound – another aftershock ofmagnitude five nearby. We were reallyshocked, looking around among ourselveswhile everyone else there continued theiractivities as if nothing had happened,”recounted Assoc Prof Pan. The visitenabled the team to investigate theextensive damage to the infrastructure inthe earthquake region and to get first-handexperience in earthquake research.

The seminar was such a success thatthe team has since been invited to give afew more public seminars on the Taiwanearthquake. ■

Technologies (Asia Pacific)Pte Ltd donated $100,000through the NTU ProgrammeFund to promote R&D at theCentre for High PerformanceEmbedded Systems (CHiPES)in the School of Applied Science(SAS). For every dollar of thisprogramme donation, theGovernment contributes threedollars to the NTU EndowmentFund. This amounts to a sum of$300,000 for NTU.

Infineon Technologies(formally known as SiemensSemiconductors) is one of theworld’s leading providers of

areas in Taiwan from 17- 23 October 1999.The team was led by Assoc Prof Pan Tso-Chien from CSE. The other team memberswere Assoc Prof Hao Hong and Asst ProfLi Bing (both from CSE) and two engineersfrom the Lands and Estate Organisation ofthe Ministry of Defence.

During the seminar, the audience wasenthralled by the team’s account of theirpersonal experiences of some of theearthquakes and aftershocks that swayedbuildings and shook the ground. “Whilewaiting in the basement level of thecommand centre for regional rescue

7

Things are looking brightfor Nirvana Digital and its

founders (clockwise fromleft) Amey, Showbhik, Dilip

and Assoc Prof Chong

Technopreneurship Moves

Nanofilm’s winning formula:ultra-hard, ultra-thin films forthe magnetic disk drive industry

A three-man team of academics fromNTU recently clinched a multi-million dollar

Under the terms of an original equipmentmanufacturing (OEM) agreement, Nanofilmand Shimadzu will make the film depositionmachines for disk drive slider head overcoatapplications, using Nanofilm’s FCVA sources.Shimadzu’s estimate of the market size forthis one application alone is about US$40million per year.

Nothing beats the excitement and rewards of making it in the business world,especially when you have a captive market, thanks to a practical technologicalinvention. Spin-offs from NTU are spinning off at breakneck speed. Recently, twomore teams of staff and students from NTU struck it out on their own

No stemming the technopreneurial tide

Striking out on their own was the way togo ever since research on a final-year motionpicture restoration system project took off in1996, with Prof Chong as mentor to Dilip andShowbhik. That project won them theworldwide Texas Instruments (TI) DSP BestSolution award of a whopping US$100,00that year. Aware of the potential in theiraward-winning, revolutionary software, thefour-man team decided to take thetechnopreneurial plunge in October 1999,with the launching of Nirvana Digital Pte Ltd- spun off from the Centre for SignalProcessing (CSP), where Dilip, Showbhikand Amey worked as research engineers,and SAS. At the helm as CEO is Assoc ProfChong.

Revival Digital, their first product, is asoftware that accurately and quickly removesartifacts typically found in old motion pictures,while leaving the rest of the footageuntouched. The principal application ofRevival is to enhance and restore images asthey are transferred from film to videotapefor distribution and re-release in other media.American company, da Vinci Systems, Incis distributing the software worldwide.Revival’s fully automatic and low-costprocedure has already garnered the newstart-up a deal with Imagica, the largest post-production house in Japan, which is usingRevival to restore the famous Ultramanserial. ■

Launch of Nanofilm Technologies and Nirvana Digital

Ultra-hard, ultra-useful: Assoc Prof Shi Xu pointing outthe many industrial applications of the diamond-like thin filmto Shimadzu Corporation’s Mr Mikio Joh and Mr MasatoTaniguchi after Nanofilm’s launching on 12 November 1999

The Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc(FCVA) source - an unmatchedtechnology

Cleaned-up act: fromgrainy and streaky to pristinequality is the transformationundergone by this 15-year-oldChinese film

From the Microelectronics Centre at theSchool of Electrical and ElectronicEngineering (EEE), they have taken theircutting-edge research, developed over fiveyears, out of the labs to the industry. Theirsignature technology - Filtered CathodicVacuum Arc (FCVA) technology - is aninnovative form of diamond-like thin filmdeposition. The diamond-like film whichresults is 70% as hard as natural diamondand has superlative qualities unmatched byother films in the market. Extremely versatile,it can be used to coat anything fromsunglasses and hard-disk drives and sliderheads, to prosthetic hip joints and aircraftcomponents. A portfolio of 10 internationalpatents protects this FCVA technology.

Nirvana’s winningformula:groundbreaking motionpicture restorationsolution

students, Dilip Krishnan, Showbhik Kalraand Amey Laud. They hold the secretsof eternal youth for the celluloid worldwith their invention of a film restorationsoftware, aptly called Revival Digital,which they are marketing worldwide.

deal with a US$2 billion Japanesemultinational company to break intothe world market with their localinvention - a high-grade diamond-likecarbon thin coating for the magneticdisk drive industry. Assoc Prof Shi Xu(lead founder and CEO of thecompany), Prof Tan Hong Siang andAssoc Prof Tay Beng Kang are alsobehind NTU’s latest spin-off high-technology company - NanofilmTechnologies International PteLtd, incorporated in May 1999.

From blotchy reel topicture-perfect. This before-after transformation is lightwork for School of AppliedScience (SAS) lecturer,Assoc Prof Chong ManNang, and his three ex-

8 NTU Millennium Celebration

THE campus-wide NTU MillenniumCelebration at the Yunnan Garden Campuson 1 January 2000 ignited the usuallypeaceful Jalan Bahar area with sheerpizzazz. Colourful, themed banners lined thecampus roads and adorned campusbuildings. At the celebration’s centre ofgravity – the North Spine – were moresplashes of colour; red and white balloonsformed an arch welcoming visitors to the 90-stalled Y2Karnival at the North Spine PlazaLevel. An Open-air Concert at the Pavilionfeatured music and dance by NTU students.

Myriad. Bright. Luminous. Warm. NTU celebrated the 3rd millennium in a spectacularway, and officially opened its spanking new auditorium to a fantastic fanfare of light,movement and colour - showcasing the millennium mission and synergistic talents ofstaff, students and alumni

At 7.25pm, some 450 NTU students,decked out in striking blue, red, yellow andgreen T-shirts, formed a human chain, andwaved glow-in-the-dark cylum sticks towelcome Guest-of-Honour, Dr Tony TanKeng Yam, Deputy Prime Minister andMinister for Defence, and other VIP guestsmaking their way to the brand new NanyangAuditorium for the launch ceremony.

In the capacity-filled auditorium, a shortvideo presentation kicked off the evening’sprogramme with aplomb. A concert put upby staff, students and alumni followed thejoint launching of the NTU MillenniumCelebration and Nanyang Auditorium.

8

Themed Three Communities in One, itfeatured engaging vocal, musical, anddance performances portraying the culturaldiversity of the NTU community. The concertwas also a celebration of NTU’s milestoneachievements stemming from thesynergistic partnership and talent of its staff,students and alumni.

The 2000 staff and their children,students, alumni and guests thronging thecampus on 1 January added unmistakablelife and colour to the grandest NTUshowcase kicking off this new millennium.■

Funky HipHop: fancymoves and

nifty footworkfrom the

Modern JazzClub

Good Luck! Local talent andguest performer, Tanya Chua,performing her chart-toppingnumber, Luck, at the Open-airConcert

Bringing the house down: the Concert Grand Finale and confetti shower

Launching the Nanyang Auditorium and NTU MillenniumCelebration: Dr Cham (right) and Education Minister, RAdmTeo Chee Hean (left), help Dr Tony Tan insert a specialmillennium key into the launch pyramid depicting NTU’s vitaltripartite force. Organising Chairman, Prof Chen Charng Ning(extreme left), Prof Cheong Hee Kiat (second from right), andProf Er Meng Hwa (extreme right) look on

Easy does it: trying her luck at one of the 90carnival stalls on campus

Try this! An NTUstudent shows off hertempting treat

Lion Dance welcome for our special VIPs at the Auditoriumfoyer

9

Other NTU Millennium Celebration Activities:

Balance and concentration fromChandni Patel, NTU student andClassical Indian dancer

Vocal powerhouse: alumnus MrKeok Leong Seng performing By theSilvery Moon with operatic finesse

““Official Opening of Nanyang Auditorium 9

Singapore is well-placed to benefit from the life sciences revolution. Theoutput of life science companies manufacturing in Singapore is expected todouble within the next five years. To realise the potential of the life sciencesarea, it is timely for NTU to set up a task force to consider how NTU can expandand strengthen its collaboration with SGH and other hospitals in Singaporeto build a world-class capability in the life sciences…

DPM, Dr Tony Tan, issuing the millennium challenge, which sparked off a wave of publicity inthe local media. NTU has since risen to the challenge and hopes to get approval from the

Government to start up a new-age medical school specialising in the life sciences.

NTU symposium NTU and Technology in the Next Millennium (6 January), Millennium Lecture Series (ongoing), Y2K Challenge Run(22 January), Mini-Asian Film Festival Asian images, Asian voices (28-30 January). For details, visit the NTU Millennium Celebrationwebsite: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/millennium/

Unity in diversity: a skilful and stimulating juxtaposition of different drummingrhythms

Millennium elegance: Mrs Lu Sinclair, Mrs LimChong Yah, Mrs Tony Tan and Mrs Cham TaoSoon, at the reception after the concert

””

Exhibits galore: at the Auditorium foyer, large posters,replicas and homegrown NTU products showcased NTU’ssignificant achievements in business & technopreneurship,environmental & protective technology, microelectronics,communications and media, IT and network technology, andbiomedical engineering

Dr Tony Tan,giving his

opening speech

Blazing hues: students from the NationalInstitute of Education bedazzling theaudience with a semi-classical traditionalMalay dance, Layang Mas

Classical interlude: Dr SylviaChong, Wong Yih Chyn and GohSeach Joo performing the beautiful3rd movement of Mozart’s Trio KV498

10 Research

ON 4 October 1999, NTU’s Centre for Signal Processing (CSP)and Singapore Technologies Electronics (ST Elect) signed an R&Dagreement for the development of a compact, fast, accurate, andaffordable fingerprint identification device. The device, based ona patent-pending technology named FingerID, is a CSP-developedomni-directional fingerprint identification technology.

“What’s revolutionary about the FingerID algorithm is that it ismulti-directional and recognises even partial fingerprints withoutcore or delta points of the fingers, or both,” said CSP programmemanager Dr Yau Wei Yun. The FingerID biometrics access controltechnology has more template sizes than what is currentlyavailable and uses only 300 – 500 bytes of memory space to storeeach print, thus ensuring accuracy and speed of identification.

Unlike other companies which port their technologies fromoptical sensors, CSP developed its technology primarily for solid-state sensors which became available about 2 years ago. FingerIDis unique as it can automatically change the sensor setting to suitdifferent skin conditions, and is able to match fingerprintsregardless of finger positioning. Moreover, its solid-state sensorcan differentiate live-and-well fingers from dead ones. Hence, thelatter will not fool the system.

ST Elect plans to integrate the new device into Securnet V3.0,which is its latest Integrated Security Management System. Both

Your fingerprint is now your password

Rotation invariant fingerprint verification online system

CSP and ST Elect expect the first product prototype to be availablein nine months, while the commercialised version is expected tobe ready by the year 2001. “We are looking at exploring the useof fingerprint recognition in the areas of access control and e-commerce,” said ST Elect product development and managementdivision manager, Mr Eric Chan. “We may even see the use offingerprint recognition as an alternative to encryption for Internetpurchases.” ■

THE School of Civil & StructuralEngineering (CSE) at NTU is collaboratingwith the University of New South Wales,Australia, and the Survey Department ofSingapore to develop a multi-base Global

Instant, accurate trackingNTU is involved in the development of a new multi-base Global Positioning System,which when completed, will make light work of position determination in large-scale land surveys and engineering work

High precision tracking: NTU researchers with thestate-of-the-art GPS device

applications of this multiple base stationnetwork is making the task of positiondetermination for surveyors and engineersas easy as possible.

The advantages of the multi-basestation approach include overcoming theshort baseline constraint for present off-

the-shelf commercial RTK (“real-time-kinematic”) systems; improving the speedfor ambiguity resolution (AR), thus allowinginstantaneous on-the-fly AR; providing real-time differential correction access tomultiple users concurrently; and improvingthe relative accuracy using either dual-

frequency or single-frequencyGPS rover receivers.

As part of the project, fourGPS base stations will be set up,one of which is in NTU. The GPSbase stations are receivers usedto collect raw data from satellites.

This joint project is expectedto change the way measurementsare made in engineering work andlarge-scale land surveys inSingapore. The end result willplace Singapore at the forefront ofhigh precision GPS research. AGPS/GIS Showcase to display thepreliminary results of thecollaborative project was held on19 and 20 November 1999 atNTU. ■

Positioning System (GPS) inSingapore to prototype real-timehigh precision solutions. GPS is asystem of satell ites, controlstations, and receivers that usesradio signals to transmit data totrack positions.

High precision positioning inboth the post-processed and real-time mode is now increasinglyused for many surveying andnavigation applications on land, atsea, and in the air. Such highprecision positioning techniquesare the result of progressive R&Dinnovations. According to CSE’sAssoc Prof Goh Pong Chai, theprincipal investigator of thisproject, one of the most innovative

11Research

WHILE it may be a long time yet before structures and machinescan completely mimic human beings, what is being explored nowat NTU is the Structural Health Monitoring System which usesfibre optic sensors as both sensor and carrier of information tothe central processing unit (the brain). Like nerves in the humanbody, these sensors can quickly “sense” the location and severityof faults inside structures.

The Structural Health Monitoring System works in two stages.The first stage provides a global warning system by giving theoverall health status of the structure (this is akin to checking thetemperature of someone who might appear feverish). The secondstage is the diagnosis of the problem. Specific testing is donewith quantitative values analysed so that the problem can beidentified in terms of location, severity, and size. The informationyielded provides conclusive evidence for remedial action.

Engineering designs have often mimicked nature in form andshape, just like aircraft structures, which take on the shapeof birds in flight. So too it is with smart structures, which cansense and respond to their surroundings like human beings

MEMS research takes off

Smart sensing

Imagine microchips which can sense, think, act, andcommunicate besides performing the traditional role ofcomputation. No, such chips are not science fiction but actuallyexist today, made possible by MEMS technology. In fact, NTUis involved in precisely this ‘science reality’

MEMS (MicroElectro Mechanical Systems)is a technology in which actuators, opticaldevices, micropumps, valves and variouschemical and physical sensors can bemonolithically integrated with transistors tocreate smart, integrated microsystems.Precursors of these microsystems includeink-jet printer modules, air-bag-releasemodules for automobiles, and digital micro-mirrors for projection displays.

Intensive research and development iscurrently underway worldwide to developeven more sophisticated and advancedmicrosystems. It is foreseeable that theseintegrated microsystems will penetratemany aspects of our lives. Their impactover the next 30 years will be as profoundas that of Integrated Circuits (ICs) over thelast 30 years.

Recognising the enormous potential inMEMS, the National Science and TechnologyBoard (NSTB) of Singapore recently initiateda National Strategic Research Programmeon MEMS technology. The primary goal: to

III-V MMIC (Monolithic MicrowaveIntegrated Circuit) team in theMicroelectronics Centre.

The other approved project, PhotonicMEMS for Optical Networking, was putup by the Photonics Research Group andthe Network Technology Research Centre(NTRC). In this project, the team movesaway from the conventional silicon-basedplatform to using microactuators on III-Vsemiconductors. Leveraging on therecently initiated optical networkingresearch programme in NTU, together withNTRC and Telecommunication Authority ofSingapore (TAS), this project will facilitatethe development of photonic integratedcircuits and components with photonicMEMS elements for optical networking.Such technology will enable the creationof low-cost devices to allow for theintroduction of the optical fibre to the home,bringing about very high bandwidthnetwork access to the customer. ■

Preliminary demonstration of III-V compound semiconductorMEMS structures fabricated usingNTU’s III-V Clean Room facilities

develop a competitive MEMS industry inSingapore. In April 1999, a Call for Proposalswas sent out to research institutes anduniversities in Singapore. After rigorousevaluation by the International MEMS ExpertCommittee, a handful of outstanding projectswas selected from the 31 projects submitted.Two of them were submitted by the Schoolof Electrical and Electronic Engineering(EEE).

The first project, MEMSAIT, whichstands for MEMS for AutomaticIdentification and Tracking aims to developa high performance, small, low-cost, long-range, and low power consumption“Single-Chip” electronic tag for automaticidentification and tracking applications.This will be superior to current lowfrequency range implementations (such asthe ERP) as it is designed to operatebeyond the 30GHz range, thus exploitingthe advantages of the microwave/millimetre-wave regime. This project, whichexploits the advantages of III-V MMIC andMEMS technology, is a joint effort by theGlobal Positioning Systems Centre and the

Although this second stagemay take a longer time thanthe first and requiresevaluation by an expert in thefield, it is envisaged that thewhole process can becompleted without significantdowntime.

This monitoring system isthe product of a collaborative

Rotation invariant fingerprintverification online system

effort between the Schools of Mechanical and ProductionEngineering (MPE), Civil and Structural Engineering (CSE), andElectrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE). On-site monitoringof metal and concrete bridges as well as composite materialstructures is currently being carried out. It is hoped that thistechnology will be commercially used in buildings in 2 – 3 years’time. ■

12 Students

IMAGINE meeting in a medieval monastery in the rolling hillsof Tuscany, having lectures in the stables there, and enjoyingdiscussions in the lush verdant gardens and surrounding fields.Four lucky students from the School of Mechanical andProduction Engineering (MPE) got to experience this and moreat the annual Industrial Design Education Meeting (IDEM) heldfrom 19 – 26 September 1999.

IDEM is a summer gathering which takes place each yearat a different location. The theme for this year’s workshopwas “Nature/Artificial”. Singapore’s first-ever delegation toIDEM consisted of fourth year Engineering Design studentsSee Le Lian, Muhamad Faizal bin Yusmal, VendasalamChandramohan, and Rege Abhijit Suresh, led by Asst ProfChui Yoon Ping. Joining them were participants from designprogrammes in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Holland,Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Israel, Brazil, and Australia. Theworkshop was conducted in English.

IDEM began in 1985 with a meeting of students and faculty

A unique experience for 4 MPE students specialising in Engineering Design was theparticipation in a week-long international design workshop held in a fortifiedmedieval monastery in Tuscany, Italy

A week in titillating Tuscany

in the 12th century and later expanded as a monastery, it boasts16th century Frescos (wall paintings applied to wet plaster). Itsmodern-day claim to fame is being the location where The EnglishPatient was filmed.

Our four MPE students plunged into this unique experiencewith enthusiasm. It will be a credit to them and to Asst Prof Chuiwhen the invitation arrives for next year’s IDEM! ■

“So shiok!” Singapore’s multi-ethnic spread of Chinese, Malay and Indianfood delighted western tastebuds on Singapore Evening (left to right: Le Lian,Asst Prof Chui, Rege, Chandra and Faizal)

NTU hosted the 5th NationalUndergraduate Research OpportunitiesProgramme Congress (NUROP Congress)on 11 September 1999. The NUROPCongress brought together more than 450participants from NTU and NUS (NationalUniversity of Singapore) with audiencesfrom the four local polytechnics and juniorcolleges.

NUROP is now well instituted in both

Entering the exciting world of R&DNTU and NUS, and attracts some of theirbest undergraduates. In this programme,able undergraduates in the engineeringand science faculties collaborate directlywith faculty members in research. Theirfirst-hand experience runs the gamut fromproposal writing and developing researchplans to resource support, conducting theresearch, analysing data, and presentingthe results orally in a proceedings paper.In short, the NUROP adds substantialvalue to a university education. Similar

NTU Deputy President, Prof Lim Mong King,telling participants to take up the challenge ofR&D work

Tough but exciting call for this participant presenting her paper

such programmes arefound in several world-class tertiary institutions.

NTU and NUSalternatively host theCongress annually. Lastyear’s NUROP Congresssaw the largest numberof papers since itsinception and includedsix plenary papers, fiveparallel sessions andover 50 posters. Thecongress proceedingswere also for the firsttime compiled in

compact discs (CDs) which can beborrowed at the NTU, NUS and Nationallibraries. The abstracts of all the paperscompiled in the proceedings were alsoplaced on the Internet. Both the NUROPand Congress are sponsored by theNational Science and Technology Board(NSTB). ■

members from three neighbouring European schools of design –Genk in Belgium, Eindhoven in Holland, and Essen in Germany.Over the years, more schools and countries have joined in. Theinvitation to Singapore to attend this year’s meeting was arrangedby Mr Avram Grant, a visiting Senior Fellow at MPE.

The venue was Sant’ Anna in Camprena, a fortified medievalmonastery in the rolling hills of Tuscany. First erected as a church

13Conferences / Seminars

High-growth photonics exposition

FROM 25 - 27 November 1999, some 160English Language experts from more than12 countries gathered at NTU for a keyinternational conference on languagetesting, evaluation & assessment(Language TEA) - the first of its kind to behosted in the region.

Prof Harcharan Singh, Dean, School ofApplied Science (SAS), opened theconference, which was jointly organised bySAS and the Singapore Tertiary EnglishTeachers Society (STETS), in cooperationwith the International Association ofTeachers of English as a ForeignLanguage (IATEFL)’s Testing, Evaluationand Assessment Special Interest Group(SIG).

The conference, held at LT 7, aimed topromote discussion among planners,

NTU hosts region’s first International Conferenceon Language Testing, Evaluation & Assessment

MORE than 250 papers from 28 countriesin Asia, Australia, Europe, and NorthAmerica, were presented at theInternational Symposium on Photonics andApplications (ISPA ’99), held on 29November – 3 December 1999, at theShangri-La Hotel. The symposium wasjointly organised by SPIE-The InternationalSociety for Optical Engineering and theSchool of Electrical and ElectronicEngineering (EEE).

The five-day programme for ISPA ’99included a workshop on optical thin-filmcoating technology and four parallelconferences on design, fabrication, andcharacterisation of photonic devices;advanced photonic sensors andapplications; photonic systems and

applications in defence and manufacturing;and photonics technology in the 21stcentury.

The four plenary speakers were DrArpad A Bergh, President, OptoelectronicsIndustry Development Association (OIDA),USA; Prof Dennis G. Deppe, University ofTexas at Austin, USA; Prof Dr Stephan WKoch, Philipps University, Marburg,Germany; and Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, ChiefController, R&D, Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation, India.

ISPA ’99 is the first internationalsymposium on photonics technology andapplications jointly organised by SPIE andNTU. Owing to its success, an MOU wassigned between the two organisations forlong-term collaboration on biennialinternational symposia on photonics andmicroelectronics technologies. The

practitioners and theorists involved intesting, evaluation and assessment inlanguage education. Two keynotespeakers – Mr Keith Morrow,Consultant to the University ofCambridge Local ExaminationsSyndicate, and Dr Kari Smith,Coordinator of IATEFL TEA SIG –along with 32 other academic leaderspresented papers on topics like IT andLanguage Testing, New andAlternative Assessments in EL, andCreativity Assessment.

Assoc Prof Khong Chooi Peng,Chairperson of the ConferenceOrganising Committee, points out the

Reorient language assessment as social fact…test the ability of people to use language as socialbeings in a social context, says Mr Keith Morrow

Paving the way for future symposia: Prof Er MengHwa (Dean, EEE) and Dr P Rai-Choudhury(Technical Director, SPIE) sealing the NTU-SPIEcollaboration

Start them young,says Assoc Prof Lim

Singapore to beeducation hub for opticsand photonicsSingapore’s plan to become a centreof excellence for education andtraining in optics and photonics wasrevealed at the Forum on Educationand Training in Optics andPhotonics, held as part of ISPA’99, on2 December 1999. Assoc Prof LimTuan Kay, a senior member of thePhotonics Research Group at EEE,and Founding Chair of the Singaporechapter of SPIE, proposedincorporating photonics into the highschool science curricula, as well asuniversity courses that require theapplication of photonics technology. ANational All iance for PhotonicsEducation and Training (NAPET) andCentre for Education and Training inOptics and Photonics (CETOP) couldbe set up to further these efforts. Theforum was organised by the SingaporeChapter of SPIE, the School of EEE,the Singapore Productivity andStandards Board (PSB), and theChinese High School.

the question of whether language tests domore than test language, whether theyencourage or assess creative thinking, hasbecome relevant in the move towardsnurturing thinking in schools.” ■

photonics series ( InternationalSymposium on Photonics andApplications) will be held in odd-numbered years while themicroelectronics series (InternationalSymposium on Microelectronics andAssembly) will be held in even-numbered years.

The Symposium Chairs wereDr Ananth Dodabalapur (LucentTechnologies/Bell Labs, USA) andAssoc Prof Kam Chan Hin (EEE).Assoc Prof Tam Siu Chung andAssoc Prof Lim Tuan Kay (bothfrom EEE) led the local organisingcommittee. ■

significance of the conference, also thefirst-ever Asian IATEFL event: “The adventof technology has opened new possibilitiesthat will impinge or enhance tests in termsof validity and reliability. Increasingly too,

14 Short Takes

ON 23 September 1999, Prof Haresh Shah, Obayashi Professorof Engineering from the Department of Civil Engineering, StanfordUniversity, presented the Shah Family Award/Prize for academicyear 1998-99 to Mr Luke Lim and Mr Shashidaran s/o Kaneson.The Shah Family Award/Prize, set up in 1996 through the generousdonation of Prof Shah, aims to cultivate entrepreneurship amongstudents in the School of Civil & Structural Engineering (CSE).The Award ($2,000) is for deserving final year students while thePrize ($1,500) is for deserving second and third year students.Luke has already started his own T-shirt printing company whileShashidaran intends to set up a floorball shop. From 1996 till now,there have been 6 Shah Family Award recipients and 12 ShahFamily Prize recipients. ■

Shah Family honour for two

IN conjunction with Techmonth ’99, the Centre for SignalProcessing (CSP) organised an Open House from 22 – 23September 1999 to showcase its R&D achievements to theindustry and public. The event highlighted the vital role that digitalsignal processing (DSP) will play in the advancement of scienceand technology. Of the 12 interesting projects displayed, threereceived special attention; their breakthrough technologies -Acoustic Noise Reduction (ANR), Speech Enhancement, andMPEG4 technologies - were featured in various major media likeFM 93.8, Radio Singapore International, TCS 5 & 8, ChannelNews Asia, The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, and PC WorldMagazine. Assoc Prof Ser Wee, Director of CSP, notes that theseprojects have very good commercialisation prospects. CSP willcertainly strive to bring their technologies to companies who wantto market them regionally and globally. ■

DSP technologies forthe new millennium

CHINA. Indonesia.Japan. Korea. Laos.Malaysia. Malawi.Mexico. Myanmar.Pakistan. Peru. ThePhilippines. Singapore.South Africa. Thailand.Vietnam.

No, it’s not a roster ofthe United Nations. Butit does reflect some ofthe same spirit. Theseare the countries

Wanted: Nanyang Fellows

NTU recently signed two Memoranda of Understanding - one ongeneral academic co-operation and the other on student exchange- with the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The signing ceremonywas held at UPM on 20 July 1999. The areas of co-operationidentified between the two universities include the promotion ofstudent exchange; the promotion of faculty and staff exchange;joint research activities; joint conferences, workshops andseminars; and the exchange of information such as librarymaterials and research publications. ■

NTU collaborates with UPM

Budding entrepreneurs, Luke (second from right) and Shashidaran(second from left) with Prof Cheong Hee Kiat, Dean of CSE (right), ProfShah (middle), and Assoc Prof Chiew Yee Meng, Sub-Dean of CSE (left)

FAISAL Karmali from the University of Waterloo, Canada, tooktop spot in the 1999 Annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine andBiology Society (EMBS) Student Design Competition. His winningwork was carried out in 1998 at the Biomedical EngineeringResearch Centre (BMERC) under the supervision of Assoc ProfS M Krishnan, Director of BMERC, while he was an exchangestudent at NTU. The award, sponsored by the Whitaker Foundationthrough the EMBS, is for outstanding undergraduate studentachievements in the field of Biomedical Engineering Design.Karmali received his prize at the 21st Annual International EMBSConference held jointly with BMES in Atlanta, USA, last October.His winning design report is titled Data Fusion and Analysis ofMultimodal Cardiovascular and Respiratory System Signals forClinical Diagnosis. ■

Exchange student topsinternational competition

The Nanyang Fellows programme is a top-of-its-class MBA programme

represented in the first and second class of the Nanyang Fellowsprogramme which is a fast-paced 12-month MBA that begins here inSingapore – the Boston of the East, and ends in Boston,Massachusetts with six weeks at the Sloan School at MIT.

The Fellows are top mid-career executives, some on scholarship,some sponsored by their companies, some self-financed, but all drivenby a desire to grow and recharge their careers. “We want… peoplewith a desire to make a difference, to promote understanding of theircountries and take home a better understanding of the other culturesthey come into contact with,” says the programme Director, Dr JohnWebster.

Recruiting for the class of 2000/2001 has begun. So, if there issomeone you admire who is looking for an exceptional MBAexperience, or who has the head and the heart to be a leader in theworkplace and in the community: tell him or her about the NanyangFellows programme. We’ll be happy to talk to them. ■

They can call, fax or e-mail The Director, Nanyang FellowsProgramme (tel: 790 4722/6413; fax: 791 8522; email:fellows@ntu.edu.sg)

THE President of NTU has made the following appointments/re-appointments:Prof Choo Seok Cheow, Director, Graduate StudiesAsst Prof Lim Ee Peng, Principal Staff Officer, President’s OfficeAssoc Prof Daniel Tan Tiong Hok, Director, Centre for Educational DevelopmentMrs Peggy Poo, Deputy Director, Centre for Educational DevelopmentAssoc Prof Chan Chiu Ming, Head, Division of Chinese Language and Culture, School of ArtsProf John Stuart Howard, Head, Division of Visual and Performing Arts, School of ArtsAssoc Prof Rita Skuja-Steele, Head, Division of English Language and Applied Linguistics, Schoolof ArtsAssoc Prof Joy Chew Oon Ai, Head, Division of Policy and Management Studies, School ofEducation

APPOINTMENTS

CONGRATULATIONSPROF Leo Tan Wee Hin, Dean of the School of Science, receivedthe honorary title Fellow of The Singapore Institute of Biology on23 November 1999, at an Awards Ceremony officiated by Dr JohnChen, Minister of State for National Development. The Fellowshipwas conferred in recognition of his many years of responsible workin biological research, and in the teaching, application andpromotion of biology in Singapore.

15Staff News

WELCOMESchool of ScienceAssoc Prof Douglas R M Edge - Associate ProfessorAssoc Prof Moo Siew Pheng - Associate ProfessorMr Patel Kadamb Haribhai - Research Associate

Registrar’s OfficeMiss Poh Hak Hoon - Administrative Officer

Centre for IT ServicesMr Low Soo Kiat - Analyst ProgrammerMiss Soong Huey Mien, Evelyn - Analyst Programmer

Centre for Educational DevelopmentMr Lee Chye Seng - Senior Systems Administrator

Internal Audit OfficeMiss Mow Yee Hun - Assistant Director

Centre for Chinese Language & CultureMr Zhou Changji - Research Fellow

Innovation CentreMr Lee Heng Weng - Assistant Director

Network Technology Research CentreMiss Chong Joo Hin - Research AssociateMr Zhu Lin - System AdministratorMr Shen Gangxiang - Project Officer

Centre for IT in EducationMiss Cheong Eleen - Educational Media OfficerMiss Seow Chow Loon - Administrative Officer

Computer Services Centre, NIEMiss Chellappah Rebecca Ranjini - Analyst Programmer

Personnel & General Affairs DivisionMrs Tong-Ng Poh Cheun - Administrative Officer

THE University welcomes the following new staff members:Nanyang Business SchoolAssoc Prof Tan Teng Kee - Associate ProfessorAssoc Prof Toh Thian Ser - Associate ProfessorAsst Prof Grant Allan Taylor - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Lee Chay Hoon - Assistant ProfessorMr Chua Eng Huang, Cecil - Senior TutorMr Lim Kui Suen, Lewis - Senior TutorProf Oum Tae Hoon - Albert Winsemius ProfessorProf Kuldeep Kumar - Visiting ProfessorProf Ng Kheng Lian, Lilian - Visiting ProfessorMr Lim Tan San - Teaching FellowDr Sampath Dhamodaran - Research FellowDr Yang Baochen - Research FellowMiss Shirley Koh Bee Lian - Research AssociateMr Thong Tiong Yang - Research AssociateMiss Tan Ai Geok, Lindsay - Senior Administrative Officer

School of Applied ScienceDr Bertil Schmidt - Research FellowDr Ma Lizhuang - Research FellowMr Pendyala Prabhakar Rao - Research AssociateMr Qiang Wei - Project Officer

School of Communication StudiesAsst Prof Shyamsunder Rewachand Tekwani - Assistant Professor

School of Civil & Structural EngineeringDr Chris Rizos - Senior FellowDr Budi Wibawa - Research FellowDr Chen Xiaoming - Research FellowDr Chen Xingwei - Research FellowDr Kusnowidjaja Megawati - Research FellowDr Shi Xudong - Research FellowDr Vanissorn Vimonsatit - Research FellowDr Yang Chao - Research FellowMr Gao Fei - Project OfficerMr Ilias Tsaparas - Project OfficerMr Lee Kim Woon, Michael - Project OfficerMdm Liu Ying - Project OfficerMr Rezaur Rahman Bhuiyan - Project OfficerMr Zhao Pengjun - Project Officer

School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Charoensak Charayaphan - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Kantisara Pita - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Philip Dowd - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Yuan Xiaocong - Assistant ProfessorDr Bruce F McGuffin - Senior FellowDr Cheng Yuhang - Research FellowDr Chen Zhihao - Research FellowDr Feng Gang - Research FellowDr Jagdish Chandra Patra - Research FellowDr Li Na - Research FellowDr Louis Shue - Research FellowDr Lu Xugang - Research FellowDr Stanislav Averine - Research FellowDr Sun Xiaoming - Research FellowDr Vladimir Koudriachov - Research FellowDr Wang Dusheng - Research FellowDr Wu Jianqing - Research FellowDr Xia Yan - Research FellowDr Xie Wenfang - Research FellowDr Ye Cang - Research FellowDr Zhang Chuanli - Research FellowDr Zhang Xiao - Research FellowDr Zhou Xiang - Research FellowDr Fu Youjun - Post Doctoral FellowMr Hou Rui - Research EngineerMdm Ong Joo Yee - Research EngineerMr Sumarno Chandra, Hie - Research EngineerMr Chung Kit Chen, George - Research AssociateMr Gu Jianhui - Research AssociateMr Liu Jian - Research AssociateMr Suranthiran Sugathevan - Research AssociateMr Swe Toe Naing - Research AssociateMdm Xiang Qing - Research AssocaiteMdm Ruan Fang - Project OfficerMr Sim Chee Wee - Project OfficerMr Subrata Halder - Project OfficerMdm Yang Xin - Project OfficerMr Zhu Jingyi - Project Officer

School of Mechanical & Production EngineeringProf Martin Erik Gustav Helander - ProfessorAssoc Prof Li Lin - Associate ProfessorAsst Prof David Lee Butler - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Franck Alexis Chollet - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Jiao Jianxin, Roger - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Vladimir Vladimirovich Kulish - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Wang Xiaolin - Assistant ProfessorProf Randall M German - Nanyang ProfessorProf Dai Fulong - Visiting ProfessorDr Appuswamy Devasenapathi - Research FellowDr Du Xinyu - Research FellowDr He Liming - Research FellowDr Jian Xiaoming - Research FellowDr Liu Hongzeng - Research FellowDr Liu Qiang - Research FellowDr Liu Yanju - Research FellowDr Tan Hong - Research FellowDr Yan Xinggang - Research FellowMr Deng Yimin - Research AssociateMr Dong Weiguo - Research AssociateMr Guo Yinchao - Research AssociateMr Krishnakumar Venkateswaran - Research AssociateMr Krishnan Venkatakrishnan - Research AssociateMr Li Hui - Research AssociateMdm Li Ying - Research AssociateMr Zhu Guoliang - Research AssociateMr Chua Hu Chuan - Project OfficerMr Wu Ruoyun - Project OfficerMr Zhai Lianyin - Project Officer

School of ArtsProf Tang Yuming - Professorial FellowAsst Prof Rahil Bte Ismail - Assistant ProfessorDr Hsia Shau Man, Sophie - Senior FellowMr S Jegathesan - Teaching FellowMr Zhang Jun - Teaching AssociateMr Hu Guangwei - Teaching AssociateMiss Soo Soo Eng - TrainerMr Mohd Pitchay Gani B M A Aziz - Trainer

PROMOTIONSCONGRATULATIONS to the following staff on their recentpromotion:To Full ProfessorAssoc Prof Soh Chee Kiong, School of Civil & Structural EngineeringAssoc Prof Khong Yuen Foong, Institute of Defence & Strategic Studies

To Associate ProfessorAsst Prof Chan Syin, School of Applied ScienceDr Gobinda Gopal Chowdhury, School of Applied ScienceAsst Prof Hu Xiao, School of Applied ScienceAsst Prof Kwoh Chee Keong, School of Applied ScienceAsst Prof Annamalai Benjamin Premkumar, School of Applied ScienceAsst Prof Wong Kok Cheong, School of Applied ScienceAsst Prof Lam Soi Hoi, School of Civil & Structural EngineeringAsst Prof Law Wing-Keung, Adrian, School of Civil & Structural EngineeringDr Wong Yiik Diew, School of Civil & Structural EngineeringAsst Prof Lee Chun Wah, School of Communication StudiesAsst Prof Cai Wenjian, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Chan Pak Kwong, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Hui Ping, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Li Gang, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Li Ziqing, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Ling Keck Voon, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Low Kay Soon, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringDr Ng Boon Poh, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof K Radhakrishnan, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Mohammed Yakoob Siyal, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringDr Song Qing, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Tan Cher Ming, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringDr Tan Hee Beng Kuan, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Tseng King Jet, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Wong Kin Shun, Terence, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringDr Zhou Xing, School of Electrical & Electronic EngineeringAsst Prof Chou Siaw Meng, School of Mechanical & Production EngineeringAsst Prof Xiao Zhongmin, School of Mechanical & Production EngineeringDr Yeung Wai Hung, William, School of Mechanical & Production EngineeringAsst Prof Zhou Wei, School of Mechanical & Production EngineeringAsst Prof Chen Shaoxiang, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Chen Yee Fong, Geraldine, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Park Donghyun, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Liu Ming Hua, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Ramin Cooper Maysami, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Shahidur Rahman, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Tan Kai Guan, Clement, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Tan Lay Hong, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Dr Tan Mui Siang, Patricia, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Teo Cheng Chuah, Jack, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Wu Yuan, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Yeo Chuan Seng, Victor, Nanyang Business School (SAB)Asst Prof Goh Chor Boon, School of ArtsAsst Prof Vilma Ann D’Rozario, School of EducationDr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, School of Physical EducationDr Helen Wright, School of Physical EducationAsst Prof Koh Thiam Seng, School of ScienceAsst Prof Cheah Horn Mun, School of ScienceAsst Prof Teo Beng Chong, School of ScienceAsst Prof He Jie, School of ScienceDr Xu Shuyan, School of Science

To Senior Assistant RegistrarMrs Lim-Lim Paik Suan, Registrar’s Office

To Senior Assistant DirectorMiss Low Fui Lan, Mabel, Development & Estate Division, NIE

To Assistant BursarMrs Ang-Lim Yew Wah, Bursar’s OfficeMiss Chiew Yan Leng, Bursar’s Office

To Assistant DirectorMrs Chang-Tan Wey Ling, Director’s Office, NIE

To Assistant Librarian IMs Ong Kok Fong, Wendy, LibraryMrs Tan-Chin Mien Chew, LibraryMiss Teng Soek Leng, Library

To Senior Systems AnalystMr Chua Boon Chai, Centre for IT ServicesMr Goh Chiang Chey, Centre for IT ServicesMr Tan Chin Thong, Centre for IT ServicesMr Chin Ching Puang, Computer Services Centre, NIEMr Lim Lye Kheng, Computer Services Centre, NIE

To Systems AnalystMr Goh Cheng Chye, Centre for IT ServicesMiss Koh Sze Ling, Centre for IT ServicesMrs Tan-Lim Ming Hing, Centre for IT ServicesMr Teo Piang Nien, Gary, Centre for IT ServicesMr Teo Swee Yew, Norman, Centre for IT Services

To Principal Technical OfficerMr Cheang Kum Seng, Centre for IT in Education

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NTU News

Published by Public Relations Office, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798. Tel: 7911744. Website: http://www.ntu.edu.sg

LOCATED between the North and SouthSpines, NTU’s spanking new $35 millionAuditorium, with its unique sweepingcurved roof resembling a mortarboard, isa stunning sight on campus. Its futuristicsilver-blue façade and sleek structureexpresses a contemporary dynamism thatis symbolic of NTU’s aspirations for thenew millennium.

The auditorium interior, which featureswood-veneered acoustic panelling and anacoustic ceiling, is equally impressive. Thetwo-tier 1,800-seat auditorium also housesa fly tower, a multi-purpose hall for

Architectural masterpiece: Nanyang Auditorium

Spaciousinterior: the

auditorium foyer,dressed up for the

NTU MillenniumCelebrations

Presenting NTU’s latest pride and joy - the 1,800-seat Nanyang Auditorium

DURING the period October toDecember 1999, the Universityreceived the followingdistinguished visitors:

8 Oct Prof Sir Brian Fender,Chief Executive Officer,Higher Education FundingCouncil for England(HEFCE), UK

23 Oct Prof Tan Zhongyin, Vice-President, LiaoningTeachers’ University, China

25 Oct Prof V N RajasekharanPillai, Vice-Chancellor,Mahatma GandhiUniversity, India

2 Nov Mr Alejandro GonzalezAlcocer, Governor of theState of Baja California,Mexico

19 Nov Prof Liu Zhongsu,President, Jilin University,PRC

30 Nov Dr Alice Lam, Chairman,University GrantsCommittee, Hong Kong

13 Dec Prof Qian Peide,President, SuzhouUniversity, PRC

15 Dec Dr Jiang Shuxia, Vice-Mayor, Xiamen, PRC

During this period, the Universityalso received visiting delegationsfrom Aquinas University, thePhilippines, Multimedia University,Malaysia, Kochi University, Japan,the University of West Indies,Jamaica, Rajabhat InstituteChiang Rai, Thailand, and InstitutoTecnologico y de EstudiosSuperiores de Monterrey,Mexico. ■

Technologicalslant: the reflectiveglass façade andmodern curvesreflect thetechnological thrustof the University

examinations and exhibitions, robingrooms, and an 18m-high foyer for holdinglarge crowds prior to functions andconcerts.

August 2000 will witness the firstconvocation ever to be held at the NanyangAuditorium – a truly proud moment forNTU. The auditorium also presents an idealvenue for other ceremonies, culturalactivities, concerts and public lectures.“The auditorium is set to add muchvibrancy to campus life,” commented ProfChen Charng Ning, Senior Director in thePresident’s Office.

The Nanyang Auditorium indeedpromises to be NTU’s mini-renaissance

place, from which expressions of harmonyand balance, technical competence, andrich artistic imagination interweave andflow. It will no doubt excite both theintellectual and aesthetic minds of manyfor years to come.

NTU’s latest pride and joy featuredprominently in NTU’s millenniumcelebration bash on 1 January 2000, whenit was officially opened by Deputy PrimeMinister and Minister for Defence, Dr TonyTan Keng Yam. (See also pages 8-9) ■