convergence - college of engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/publications/convergence/documents... ·...

12
Issue 07, 2017 MAE School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering SCSE School of Computer Science and Engineering CEE School of Civil and Environmental Engineering CoE College of Engineering MSE School of Materials Science and Engineering EEE School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering SCBE School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering NTU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING WHERE CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY MERGE GIVING BACK FOR A GOOD CAUSE Restoring the joy of playing through humanitarian engineering Continued on page 2 ONLINE VERSION http://bit.ly/2rgFVvX PEOPLE AND EVENTS Hi Profs! Nanyang Education Award 2016 Learning to Build an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at Garage@EEE ENGINEERING INNOVATION Aerogel Thin Foam Keeps Vehicles and Buildings Cooler and Quieter NTU Successfully Launched its 7 th Satellite into Space Dry Spell? Get Soil to Release Water to Plants LIFE AT CoE Giving Back for a Good Cause CEE Day 2017 Representing NTU at the Prestigious 16 th AUN and 5 th ASEAN+3 Young Speakers’ Contest Striking ‘Gold’ at the iGEM Competition 2016 CONVERGENCE CONVERGENCE NTU College of Engineering – A Leader in Engineering Education and Research Based on Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2017 for Engineering and Technology

Upload: others

Post on 20-Apr-2020

1 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

Issue 07, 2017

MAESchool of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

SCSESchool of Computer Science and Engineering

CEESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering

CoECollege of Engineering

MSESchool of Materials Science and Engineering

EEESchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

SCBESchool of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

NTU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERINGWHERE CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY MERGE

GIVING BACK FOR A GOOD CAUSERestoring the joy of playing through humanitarian engineeringContinued on page 2

ONLINE VERSION

http://bit.ly/2rgFVvX

PEOPLE AND EVENTS Hi Profs! Nanyang Education Award 2016 Learning to Build an Unmanned

Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at Garage@EEE

ENGINEERING INNOVATION Aerogel Thin Foam Keeps Vehicles

and Buildings Cooler and Quieter NTU Successfully Launched its

7th Satellite into Space Dry Spell? Get Soil to Release

Water to Plants

LIFE AT CoE Giving Back for a Good Cause CEE Day 2017 Representing NTU at the

Prestigious 16th AUN and 5th ASEAN+3 Young Speakers’ Contest

Striking ‘Gold’ at the iGEM Competition 2016

CONVERGENCECONVERGENCENTU College of Engineering –A Leader in Engineering Education and ResearchBased on Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2017 for Engineering and Technology

Page 2: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

Life at CoE CONVERGENCE

Through this event, the participants have found a significant purpose in the course of their

studies as they experienced how the skills and knowledge of engineering can be applied to

make a difference in someone else’s life.

Giving Back for a Good Cause

The aim of this event was to expose MAE students to humanitarian engineering and demonstrate how engineering can be applied for a social cause.

40 MAE students participated in this event where they built low-cost assistive devices for children suffering from cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy suffer from slower motor skills and restricted mobility, which disqualify them from playing with most electronic toys available in the market. Toys that are specially tailored for these children are also high in production costs and therefore very expensive.

During this event, students were taught how to apply basic engineering skills such as soldering, electrical rewiring and troubleshooting to build assistive switches for the beneficiaries. These assistive switches are low in cost and can be rewired into the circuits of off-the-shelf toys for easy activation by children with special needs.

The switch-adapted toys made during the workshops help to enhance the learning and educational opportunities

with disabilities such as Rainbow School, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) and AWWA.

In addition to picking up basic skills such as soldering and rewiring electrical circuits, the participants found meaning in their course of study as they experienced how the skills and knowledge of engineering can be applied to make a difference in someone else’s life.

of these children and allow them to gain independence in daily activities. The switches not only restore their joy in playing, but also encourage movement and the improvement of their motor skills. For example, a switch-adapted toy enables children with special needs to play independently and learn through play, and their therapist is also able to use the same switch-adapted toy to motivate them during therapy to improve their physical and cognitive development.

At the end of the event, every assistive device created was donated out to the People with Disabilities (PWD) organisations through EngineeringGood’s network – mainly special education schools for children

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering HackAble Outreach was an event organised by the Special Projects Committee of the MAE club on 25 February 2017. A collaboration with EngineeringGood – a Non-Profit Organisation, it was the first Community Outreach Programme organised by the MAE club on a massive scale.

02

Page 3: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

With seven hours of energy-filled activities, this year’s CEE DAY was truly memorable for more than 600 CEE students who came from three different school divisions: Maritime Studies, Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering.

The event was held at Canopy K, North Spine Plaza on campus. With a colourfully decorated backdrop, gold-coloured alphabet balloons which spelled ‘CEE DAY’, and CEE club members adorned in bright costumes for their upcoming performances, it was indeed an eventful day. While students and faculty members had the chance to mingle over a scrumptious buffet lunch, there were also food giveaways throughout the event. Some of these delicious food giveaways included the

highly rated 4 Fingers chicken, KOI bubble tea, donuts and many more.

There were also performances by CEE club members where they sang classic Chinese and English songs dedicated to their beloved professors and friends. A roving magic show, Diabolo performances and competitions – such as the Wii competition, watermelon-eating competition and Spicy Korean Noodles-eating challenge – made the event more exciting and fun. Hourly lucky draws were also carried out to make sure nobody went home empty-handed! To top it all off, a photo booth was set up to capture these wonderful moments. All in all, CEE DAY 2017 was a great success as everyone enjoyed themselves over good food and entertainment.

With seven hours of energy-filled activities,

this year’s CEE DAY was truly memorable

for more than 600 CEE students who came from

three different school divisions: Maritime

Studies, Environmental Engineering and

Civil Engineering.

CEE DAY 2017On 13 February 2017, the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering had their annual CEE DAY to bring together students and faculty members through an engaging event.

Life at CoE

03

Page 4: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

Life at CoE CONVERGENCE

Striking ‘Gold’ at the iGEM Competition 2016A multidisciplinary team consisting of undergraduates from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and the School of Biological Sciences, won the Gold medal at the International Genetically Modified Machine (iGEM) Competition 2016 for their project titled “Our CRISPRy Adventure”. Led by Assistant Professor Tan Meng How of SCBE, “Our CRISPRY Adventure” aims to improve the CRISPR/Cas9 Tool Box for genome engineering and regulation through a detailed comparison among different Cas9 proteins.

In addition, “Our CRISPRy Adventure” also won the Best Measurement Project and the Best Wiki awards. The team was also nominated for the Best Basic Part prize and was commended for carrying out research that had high social impact.

An annual global synthetic biology event aimed at undergraduates, graduates and high school students, the iGEM competition encourages students to work together to solve real-world

challenges by building genetically engineered biological systems with standard, interchangeable parts.

iGEM Competition 2016 saw the participation of 5,600 participants from 42 countries, spanning projects across 14 different tracks – including energy, environment, manufacturing, food and nutrition, and therapeutics.

This enriching experience provided me with a global platform where I was able

to learn from many great speakers, contribute my perspectives and improve

my stage confidence.

Representing NTU at the Prestigious 16th AUN and 5th ASEAN+3 Young Speakers’ Contest

ASEAN+3 Universities. The theme was “Strengthening ASEAN+3 towards Sustainable Development through Community Engagement”. With strong support and advice from his school and mentor Ms. Christie Lee, Director of Student Community Engagement, Sheng Lin approached the topic from a science and technological aspect, an angle that is closely related to his studies in Materials Science and Engineering, and proposed an effective solution that addressed the issues of sustainable development. Despite the intense

competition, Sheng Lin emerged as the runner-up in the contest.

The competition was an invaluable learning journey for Sheng Lin as he stepped out of his comfort zone and discovered possibilities beyond academics.

“With an enormous amount of information to synthesise and a tight deadline to meet, I delved deeply into the various aspects of ASEAN+3 and worked on honing my speech delivery techniques. In addition, this enriching experience provided me with a global platform where I was able to learn from many great speakers, contribute my perspectives and improve my stage confidence. One of my greatest takeaways was the opportunity to make long-lasting friendships and develop camaraderie with like-minded youths across the region.”

The 16th AUN and 5th ASEAN+3 Young Speakers’ Contest was held at Mahidol University, Thailand from 8-10 November 2016. Held annually, it is one of the flagship youth activities of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) that aims to deepen the level of cooperation amongst the next generation of leaders in the ASEAN+3 region (i.e. ASEAN, China, South Korea and Japan).

Lai Sheng Lin from MSE represented NTU and competed against 24 other eloquent speakers from various

To learn more about the team’s project, visit their wiki at: http://2016.igem.org/Team:NTU-Singapore

Team members (from left to right): Zhang Junyi (SCBE), Mu Huanwen (SCBE), Yong Jin Yen (SBS), Ooi Kean Hean (SBS), Li Fanxiang (SCBE) and Liu Zhehui (SBS) SBS: School of Biological Sciences

04

Page 5: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

People and Events

Hi Profs!The Convergence team invites two new professors who have recently joined NTU College of Engineering to tell us a bit more about themselves and their advice for students.

What are your teaching methods and goals? I enjoy spending time with students to explore concepts and solve problems. Particularly, in engineering, there is a lot of room for creativity. I always seek to explain in ways most easily understood by students, with examples, and to get their feedback. When students appreciate, are keen to learn more and have done well, this is when my teaching goals are met.

Advice to students: My advice is to be consistent and study smart. The pace in university is fast and you cannot wait till the last minute before tests or exams to churn the notes. At the end of each day, spend time to go through the day’s lectures and tutorials. This is the only way to follow, identify problems and prepare yourself for the following day and exams. Lastly, study smart and attend lectures!

*IPPT: Individual Physical Proficiency Test

What is your most memorable teaching experience at NTU so far? The memorable experiences come from interacting with students and also during lectures. There was once I got students to make and fly paper aeroplanes in a lecture theatre, and to hit a target on the projector screen. It was messy but fun, and the students got to understand some concepts on stability, control and aerodynamics.

ASST. PROF. NG BING FENG MAE

ASST. PROF. OKAN DURU CEE

How do you motivate students? I motivate students by encouraging them to think out of the box as well as to look beyond the facts of a textbook, and use their critical and sceptical thinking skills to catch those hidden facts. I also encourage them to take charge of their learning style and activity and practice self-learning.

Advice to students: My advice to students is to develop self-learning skills as it will become a significant game changer in the future of education, and it will be essential for survival in the job market. Industries look for people who can learn and prosper without traditional instruction as we move towards a more independent future.

Is there any motto or belief that you live by? I would like to quote Mark Twain’s thought-provoking remark: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Hello! I am Assistant Professor Ng Bing Feng from MAE.

I enjoy eating, finding good hawker food around Singapore and plane-spotting. I also run

quite a bit, both to keep fit and to clear my thoughts and also to

pass the IPPT!*

Hi! I am Assistant Professor Okan Duru. After spending two years at Texas A&M University at Galveston, I moved to NTU

Singapore last year. Swimming, playing basketball and reading books are some of my favourite

activities when I am not teaching or doing research. My biggest and most joyful time is usually spent with my 8-year-old son.

After a mentally tiring day, activities with kids are great

therapies for our souls.

05

Page 6: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

People and Events CONVERGENCE

Nanyang Education Award 2016

University Award (Silver)

The Nanyang Education Award is given in recognition to faculty members who have exhibited excellent teaching practice and enriched the learning experiences of students through their enthusiasm, care and close rapport. There are four categories under this award: University Award (Gold), University Award (Silver), College Award and School Award. 8 faculty members from CoE were proud winners of this prestigious Nanyang Education Award. We spoke with the recipients of the Nanyang Education Award to find out more about their motivation for teaching and secret recipe for a more engaging learning experience. Past and current students of these winners also shared with us their learning experiences with the award recipients.

PROFESSOR ONG YEW SOON SCSE

“I tell my students I learn as much from them as they learn from me!”

Prof. Ong Yew Soon received the Nanyang Award (College) in 2015, Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008 and Most Popular Lecturer Award in 2009. Prof. Ong is also one of the top 20 scientists in Singapore mentioned in ‘The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2015’ report by Thomson Reuters. Passionate and curious about computing technology, he uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) actively in the classroom to engage students.

“Prof. Ong is a great communicator and absolutely nurturing. From simple things like asking about our day to pleasant surprises like having breakfast with us before class, Prof. Ong makes great effort to connect with students and we all grew close to him within a semester. He always challenges us to think deeper and dream bigger, yet never fails to back us up despite his busy schedule. His passion for nurturing students inspires me every day to do my part to contribute back to the community.” Lim Mei Ling, May

Class of 2016, Renaissance Engineering Programme

Story reproduced with permission from NTU’s magazine, HEY!, issue 27. For more HEY! stories, please visit www.hey.ntu.edu.sg

06

Page 7: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

People and Events

“Prof. Marcos has influenced and inspired me in many ways. He is almost always readily available for his students’ queries. In my first year of undergraduate studies, Prof. Marcos was the lecturer of one of the modules. On one occasion, I emailed Prof. Marcos about some questions while studying and revising for his module past midnight and he replied immediately. I was very touched by Prof. Marcos’ dedication to his students and his work. Inspired by his passion in teaching and research, I took up Ph.D. studies in the hope of passing my knowledge on to future undergraduates and making a positive impact on them.”

College Award

School AwardASSISTANT PROFESSOR YANG EN-HUA

CEE

“One of my teaching goals is to motivate students and to give meaning and life to a subject material. Based on my past teaching experience, students are motivated to learn when they see the relation of the subject material to a real-world problem. Another important goal is to encourage more interaction with students. This greatly motivates students and helps them to concentrate in class. I have implemented several methods to engage students during my lectures, this include asking questions and inviting answers and adopting multimedia technologies. It is rewarding to receive students’ feedback saying, ‘I had no idea that concrete materials could be so interesting!’ and ‘Open more classes!’”

“Prof. Yang was my mentor during my undergraduate studies in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has inspired me in many ways. When I had doubts about my studies or direction in life, I would consult Prof. Yang and he would listen to my problems and guide me along. With Prof. Yang’s reference to help my Masters studies application, I graduated with a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Design in Architecture and am currently pursuing a meaningful career to help create a sustainable environment.”

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MARCOS MAE

“My students told me that my passion and enthusiasm make lessons interesting. They are inspired to learn more about the subject because they can see through complex ideas in an intuitive manner. I also believe that being sincere and building good rapport with students will encourage them to be more passionate in learning and enjoy university life. Winning this award is a great recognition that my teaching philosophy and approach are well-accepted by the students. This reinforces my daily teaching activities and motivates me to do even better.”

Benjamin Tay Zikai Class of 2015, Mechanical Engineering

Katherine Li-An Class of 2014, Civil Engineering

07

Page 8: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

People and Events CONVERGENCE

DR. JOHN HENG MAE

“My formula to keeping students engaged during lessons is to get them to know ‘WHY’ they must learn this knowledge and how it will be useful to them as a person, as an engineer and most importantly as an NTU graduate. Once this is sorted out, the ‘HOW’ becomes easy.”

“When I started out working in a large-scale manufacturing company, I was having a difficult time keeping up with the workload of my demanding job in sales. It came to a point where I wanted to walk away from my job. It was Dr. John who inspired me to carry on and learn from the little setbacks in the operational aspects of my career. Bearing that in mind, I persevered and went ahead to excel in my position and eventually started my own company. Dr. John and I remain in contact and, through our sharing sessions, he advises and mentors me in many aspects of my life. I owe my success to him and I have not met a more dedicated mentor so far.”

PROFESSOR MADHAVI SRINIVASAN MSE

“I engage students by connecting what I teach in class to real world examples and applications to provoke curiosity and encourage independent learning beyond the classroom. I had this group of students who told me that my lecture voice was so energetic and peppy that every time they go out for a jog, they would play a recording of my lecture on their portable device, listen to it and jog around NTU campus (learning outside the classroom, literally). They told me that by doing so, they were able to reinforce their classroom learning while exercising at the same time. Winning this award motivates me to strive harder and inspire students further on their learning journey.”

“Prof. Madhavi is kind, friendly and approachable. She has always been very patient despite me bombarding her with in-depth questions regarding the modules. Through her teaching, I was able to understand the subject better and have grown to be more passionate about Materials Science and Engineering. Although my results were not superb, she encouraged me to be part of her research group and opened my eyes to the world of energy storage.”

Ang Yit TatClass of 2008, Mechanical Engineering

Bryan Low DexuanYear 4, Materials Science and Engineering

08

Page 9: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

People and Events

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR XIAO XIAOKUI SCSE

“I keep students engaged with a small dose of humour every now and then and a lot of examples to illustrate concepts. I would also throw in a few ‘surprise’ questions that look straightforward at first glance but have counter-intuitive answers. Students would be surprised by the answers and would be eager to know why. When I was teaching the module on Discrete Mathematics, I performed a magic trick in the first lecture. This not only illustrated the beauty of discrete mathematics to the students, but also made them interested to learn more about the subject.”

“Prof. Xiao has taught me multiple database-related modules such as Database System Principles, Advanced Data Management, etc. My love for database grew immensely after being taught the first ‘Introduction to Databases’ course by Prof. Xiao. One key technique he uses while teaching is to ask us questions in between lectures, which keeps our brains continuously involved and challenges us in solving problems on the spot. I think this methodology has helped me in acing the case study interviews for my internship in NTU. I would like to thank Prof. Xiao for helping me uncover my true passion in database and analytics.”

“Prof. Samir’s detailed work outlines created by him during the lesson itself are invaluable. He plans his lectures perfectly by covering exactly what he wants to cover. He manages to hold the attention of 200 students through one of the hardest courses in Chemical Engineering, a feat I’ve observed nowhere else. His ‘Khanacademy-esque’ style of teaching is extremely effective at conveying the most difficult concepts across. His style of making notes and understanding concepts influenced my note-taking for other modules and has helped me in my learning process.”

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SAMIR HEMANT MUSHRIF SCBE

“There are many ingredients that go into the formula of engaging students in learning. They include giving students the big picture of what you are teaching, asking them questions and then developing concepts based on the answers they give. I also help them visualise the subject matter using animation/diagrams/figures, articulating the concept and including step-wise drawing of figures. Deriving equations ‘live’ in the class and having short discussion breaks in lectures also help. Another important thing is to gauge whether the students have understood what you want to convey and then adjust your pace accordingly.”

Akshay MamidiYear 3, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Deepaprakash MehaYear 4, Computer Science

09

Page 10: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

NTU EEE Outreach organised a UAV workshop for 30 Junior College and Polytechnic students from 13-14 January 2017. The participants spent a night at Garage@EEE to learn the fundamentals of a UAV, and how to build and control one.

The workshop kicked off with an ice-breaking game and dinner with the student ambassadors of Garage@EEE. EEE’s Assistant Chair (Outreach), Associate Prof. Andy Khong also welcomed the participants and gave an introductory speech.

The participants collaborated in small teams to build and control their own UAVs with the guidance of the student ambassadors. The highlight of the UAV workshop was the final challenge. The teams’ objective was to aim and hit all the targets on the target boards using the laser pointer installed on their UAV in the shortest possible time, in order

People and Events CONVERGENCE

DR. SHAO XUGUANG, MICHELLE EEE

“I would normally engage students by encouraging class participation and incorporating technology in the classroom such as using the clicker-like mobile app or web app. It is also important to follow up with students and be open to feedback from them to promote active learning and critical thinking. Students are more inclined to learn when they know that their thoughts and views of the topic are welcome and taken into consideration. I also believe that it is essential to have skills beyond academics. For instance, in the ‘Enterprise Network Design’ course that I teach, students have to go through a compulsory presentation and Q&A session. Through this, I hope that students will recognise the importance of soft skills such as communication, presentation and teamwork besides the technical knowledge that they have acquired during lessons.”

“Dr. Shao is very approachable and her lessons are always engaging. She would make sure that we understood the lesson by going around the class during tutorials to test us. I was fortunate to have Dr. Shao as my mentor for my Final Year Project as she provided me with valuable guidance when I needed it the most. She is very dedicated and passionate about teaching. I think she exemplifies this saying perfectly: ‘Follow your passion and never work a day in your life.’”

Tan Keat Peng Don CharltonYear 4, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

to win the challenge. Through this challenge, participants learnt how to control their UAVs and strategise their flight plans.

Besides gaining technical knowledge about UAVs, participants also learnt to work in a team to co-build their UAVs, communicate and make decisions to complete the challenge, and also expanded their network of friends.

Learning to Build an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at Garage@EEE

10

Page 11: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

Aerogel Thin Foam Keeps Vehicles and Buildings Cooler and Quieter

Engineering Innovation

This new foam brings about greater benefits to its users and to the environment.

Associate Prof. Sunil Chandrakant Joshi from MAE and his former Ph.D. student Dr. Mahesh Sachithanadam have developed aerogel composites, a new thin foam that has high-performance heat insulation and better soundproofing than conventional materials in the market.

Developed over a period of four years, aerogel composites, which is made from silica aerogels with a few other additives, can block out 80 percent of outside noise. This is essentially 30 percent more than the current conventional materials available. It can also insulate against heat 2.6 times better.

In line with the global move towards green manufacturing and lower carbon footprints in industrial production, this new foam is eco-friendly and less hazardous as high heat treatment and toxic materials are not required for its production. It is also more resilient, better able to withstand high compression, boasts higher

performance and is easy to install. It is an extremely good thermal insulator, which is a crucial factor for materials used in high heat environments common in the oil and gas industries.

A local company, Bronx Creative & Design Centre Pte Ltd (BDC), has licensed this aerogel composites technology with a joint venture of S$7 million. A production plant that is being set up is expected to be operational by 2017. Branded by BDC as Bronx AeroSil, it has the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including in the building and construction, electronics, oil and gas, as well as automotive industries.

Moving forward, BDC is working towards producing aerogel composites in various forms such as sheets or panels, in line with current industry sizes. Further research and optimisation are still being conducted on the aerogel composites’ performance to ensure it maintains its competitive edge against other technologies.

It is an extremely good thermal insulator,

which is a crucial factor for materials used in

high heat environments common in the oil and

gas industries.

From left: Assoc. Prof. Sunil and Dr. Mahesh with the aerogel composites

11

Page 12: CONVERGENCE - College of Engineeringcoe.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Publications/Convergence/Documents... · 2017-07-11 · Life at CoE CONVERGENCE Through this event, the participants have

Engineering Innovation CONVERGENCE

Dry Spell? Get Soil to Release Water to Plants

NTU Successfully Launched its 7th Satellite into Space

The School of EEE successfully launched its seventh satellite – the AOBA VELOX-III – into space on 16 January 2017. This is the first Singapore satellite to be launched from the International Space Station (ISS), a 110-metre habitable human-made satellite that orbits the Earth. Unlike the conventional way of launching a satellite directly into space from a rocket, AOBA VELOX-III was shot into orbit around earth using a special launcher by a Japanese astronaut at the ISS. The AOBA VELOX-III is a joint project between the School of EEE and Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), one of Japan’s leading universities for satellite research and engineering.

Director of the NTU Satellite Research Centre, Mr Lim Wee Seng commented, “The successful deployment of the AOBA VELOX-III is testament to the strong satellite engineering expertise at NTU. Building up the local satellite

The NTU team that worked with NParks comprises Prof. Lam Yeng Ming and Dr. Goh Chin Foo from MSE and Prof. Chen Zhong from NIE.

Prof. Lam said, “What’s exciting about this technology is that it helps water to be absorbed into the soil with little or no surface run-off. In addition, the design of the materials in this formulation can retain excess water and then subsequently release it when the soil becomes dry.”

The substance has since been tested on 50,000 plants across 15 to 20 plant species – including the ixora, ipomoea and hibiscus from NParks – at NIE’s greenhouse and was found to be environmentally safe. The team has plans to commercialise the technology and hopes that it can one day be used in agriculture.

talent pool and developing disruptive technologies like the micro-thruster in the AOBA VELOX-III is important for Singapore’s budding space industry.”

The two-kilogramme nano-satellite features a unique micro-thruster built by the School of EEE, which enables the satellite to remain in space twice as long than it usually would. Traditionally, small satellites do not have thrusters due to modest budgets and insufficient space to mount conventional thrusters used by bigger satellites. Without thrusters, satellites have no means to keep them in orbit and will gradually lose altitude. The new micro-propulsion system developed by the School of EEE generates a small amount of thrust using pulsed plasma, which could lift the satellite 200 metres for each hour of flight. The micro-thruster will help extend its flight lifespan to six months instead of the usual three months before it loses altitude.

Orbiting at 400 kilometres above sea level, the AOBA VELOX-III will be conducting several tests. This includes the made-in-NTU micro-propulsion system, a new wireless communication system developed by Kyutech and experiments to evaluate the durability of commercial off-the-shelf microprocessors in space. These space experiments by AOBA VELOX-III will enhance the university’s satellite-building capabilities, paving the way for the next generation of nanosatellites that are more advanced and reliable.

This is the first Singapore satellite

to be launched from the International

Space Station (ISS), a 110-metre habitable human-made satellite that orbits the Earth.

NTU and NParks have developed a substance in a solution that, when sprayed on soil, will release water molecules during scarce rainfall.

(from left to right): Dr. Goh Chin Foo and Prof. Lam Yeng Ming from MSE and Prof. Chen Zhong from the National Institute of Education (NIE)Photo Credit: The Straits Times, 4 November 2016

Dean’s Office Convergence TeamCollege of Engineering Nanyang Technological University 70 Nanyang Drive Block N1.3-B1-01 Singapore 637457

Tel: +65 6316 8896 Fax: +65 6896 8757 Email: [email protected] www.coe.ntu.edu.sg

Connect with Us fb.com/NTUCollegeofEngineering

lnked.in/NTUCoE

CONTACT US