Above Photo from left: Prof. Louis Phee, Dean, College of Engineering, NTU, Dr. Vijay Swarup, Vice President of Research & Development, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company and Prof. Philip Liu, Vice President (Research & Technology), Office of Deputy President (Research & Technology), NUS at the signing of the MoU. Credit: NTU
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) will be launching the new Singapore Energy Centre in early 2019 to explore innovative ideas and develop talent to meet future energy needs in Asia Pacific.
The centre aims to address the big challenges of today and in the future of how the world consumes and produces energy by fostering interdisciplinary interactions among local universities, institutes, and industry.
It will focus on researching next-generation technologies such as new forms of energy production; energy efficiency, conversion and storage; climate change mitigation and adaptation; and energy and water access. The centre’s horizon for research outcomes is long term and is aimed towards new discoveries and significant improvements in technologies.
With the participation of NTU and NUS professors, students, and researchers, the centre will serve as a platform to encourage and foster long-term research partnerships among Singapore academic institutions and industry.
Both universities will co-lead the centre, with NTU holding the directorship for the first two years and NUS leading for the next two years. The centre will also groom future leaders skilled in developing sustainable energy solutions through an Energy Fellowship programme. Under this programme, students from both universities will be able to pursue research areas consistent with centre goals to help nurture an ecosystem of innovation and research excellence in Singapore and regionally.
NTU, NUS and ExxonMobil signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ExxonMobil to become the first founding member of the centre.
As a founding member, ExxonMobil plans to support the centre’s wide range of early-stage innovative research projects and activities, while NTU and NUS will share their expertise, knowledge and research infrastructure to support the centre’s initiatives. ExxonMobil scientists and researchers will also collaborate with NUS and NTU on these projects.
The centre will expand to include more industry partners and to broaden its research scope. Both universities will be inviting other industry leading companies – local as well as global leaders – that share the centre’s commitment to lead long-term fundamental research, transform the energy landscape and address sustainability concerns for generations to come. Participation in the centre allows sponsor members to participate in core research, as well as undertake member-directed research with the universities.