Programme
Speaker Biographies
Plenary Speakers
Steven CHU
Stanford University
Huimin ZHAO
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Biography information is currently unavailable. Please check back later.
Vivian Wing-Wah YAM
The University of Hong Kong
“Control of Excited States, Nanostructures and Functions Through Molecular Design and Supramolecular Assembly”
Vivian Wing-Wah YAM
The University of Hong Kong
Vivian W.-W. Yam obtained both her BSc (Hons) and PhD from The University of Hong Kong, and is currently the Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy and Chair Professor of Chemistry at The University of Hong Kong. She was elected to Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, International Member (Foreign Associate) of US National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Fellow of TWAS and Founding Member of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences. She was the Laureate of the 2011 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award. She has received a number of awards, including the Josef Michl ACS Award in Photochemistry, RSC Centenary Medal, RSC Ludwig Mond Award, Porter Medal, Bailar Medal, IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry Award, I-APS Presidential Award, JPA Eikohsha Award, JSCC International Award, State Natural Science Award, etc. She is currently the Vice-President of the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), Chair of the CCS Women’s Chemists Committee, and President of the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD). Her research interests include inorganic/organometallic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and controlled assembly of nanostructures, photophysics and photochemistry, and metal-based molecular and nano-assembled functional materials for sensing, organic optoelectronics and energy research.
Sean DE CLEENE
Singapore Institute of Technology
“Rewiring Sustainability: Navigating Complexity to Unlock the Power of Innovation”
Sean DE CLEENE
Singapore Institute of Technology
Sean de Cleene is recognised internationally for his work as a systems leader and in brokering complex transformational partnerships and at scale sustainable business and financing solutions.
He is an adjunct Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology. As a former member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum Sean had executive oversight and responsibility for Food Systems, the Tech for SDGs portfolio, the Sustainable Development Investing Partnership, the Climate Governance Initiative and the Hoffman Tech and Environment PhD Fellows. Sean brings a wealth of experience having jointly catalysed a number of innovative major initiatives including: Grow Asia, Grow Africa, Africa Food Prize, African Green Revolution Forum, Food Action Alliance and Food Innovation Hubs Global Initiative.
Sean was the joint creative architect behind the inaugural UN Food Systems Summit at which he chaired the Innovation Lever of Change
Previously he held positions as Senior Vice President Strategy, Business Development and Global Initiatives for Yara International, Vice President at AGRA and spent over a decade as a social entrepreneur catalysing a range of leading sustainability, innovation and financing initiatives and organisations. He is currently actively promoting the development of a groundbreaking catalytic climate resilient agri-investment fund.
Ernst Johan KUIPERS
Nanyang Technological University
Vivian YAM
The University of Hong Kong
Vivian W.-W. Yam obtained both her BSc (Hons) and PhD from The University of Hong Kong, and is currently the Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy and Chair Professor of Chemistry at The University of Hong Kong. She was elected to Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, International Member (Foreign Associate) of US National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Fellow of TWAS and Founding Member of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.
She was the Laureate of the 2011 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award. She has received a number of awards, including the Josef Michl ACS Award in Photochemistry, RSC Centenary Medal, RSC Ludwig Mond Award, Porter Medal, Bailar Medal, IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry Award, I-APS Presidential Award, JPA Eikohsha Award, JSCC International Award, State Natural Science Award, etc. She is currently the Vice-President of the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), Chair of the CCS Women’s Chemists Committee, and President of the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD). Her research interests include inorganic/organometallic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and controlled assembly of nanostructures, photophysics and photochemistry, and metal-based molecular and nano-assembled functional materials for sensing, organic optoelectronics and energy research.
Keynote Speakers
Huimin ZHAO
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
“An AI-powered Self-driving Biofoundry for Synthetic Biology”
Huimin ZHAO
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Huimin Zhao is the Steven L. Miller Chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), director of NSF AI Institute for Molecule Synthesis (moleculemaker.org), NSF iBioFoundry (ibiofoundry.illinois.edu), and NSF Global Center for Reliable and Scalable Biofoundries, and Editor in Chief of ACS Synthetic Biology. He received his B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1992 and his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1998. Prior to joining UIUC in 2000, he was a project leader at the Dow Chemical Company. Dr. Zhao has authored and co-authored over 480 research articles and over 30 issued and pending patent applications. In addition, he has given over 550 plenary, keynote, or invited lectures. Thirty-eight (38) of his former graduate students and postdocs became professors or principal investigators around the world. Dr. Zhao received numerous research and teaching awards and honors such as ECI Enzyme Engineering Award and NSF CAREER Award. His primary research interests are in the development and applications of synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and laboratory automation tools to address society’s most daunting challenges in health, energy, and sustainability.
Karl ZIEMELIS
Springer Nature Ltd
“Publishing planet-saving science – the role of journals in advancing the sustainability agenda”
Karl ZIEMELIS
Springer Nature Ltd
Karl Ziemelis is the current Chief Applied & Physical Sciences Editor of Nature, a position that he has held since 1997. He manages a team of sixteen Associate and Senior Editors who, between them, are responsible for Nature’s output of original research papers in the physical sciences and engineering (which include astronomy, physics, materials, chemistry, Earth and environmental sciences). The work of this team involves ensuring the quality and immediacy of the published research, both through careful editorial pre-screening of the papers and by managing a fast and efficient peer-review process. A crucial component of this work is a close editorial interaction with the authors of successful papers, to ensure that the published manuscripts communicate their key findings effectively to a wide, scientifically literate audience.
He received his bachelor’s in Natural Sciences (specializing in physics) from the University of Cambridge in 1988, followed by four years of original research on the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers under the supervision of Professor Sir Richard Friend (Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge), before joining the staff of Nature in 1992.
When time permits, he occasionally writes popular articles in a freelance capacity.
Lukas MAYR
BASF South East Asia Pte Ltd.
“Green Transformation at BASF
Lukas MAYR
BASF South East Asia Pte Ltd.
Dr. Lukas Mayr is an accomplished physical chemist and executive with extensive experience in research, innovation management, and strategic leadership. Based in Singapore, Dr. Mayr leads BASF strategic initiatives focused on growth and raw material transformation in Asia Pacific. In addition, he is Executive Assistant to BASF Board Member Dr. Stephan Kothrade for his Chief Technology Officer role and his responsibilities in Asia Pacific. Previously, he contributed to BASF’s global green transformation and growth market strategy. Dr. Mayr also steered projects and fostered industry partnerships in his role as leader of the BASF’s Carbon Management R&D Program. He joined BASF in Germany in 2016 and lead R&D teams in material physics and inorganic synthesis, where he specialized in surface science and advanced reactor design. He holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Innsbruck including research stays at international institutions. Dr. Mayr’s achievements are recognized by multiple awards (such as the Eduard-Wallnöfer Award) for scientific excellence and innovation.
Milena CORREDIG
Aarhus University
“Feeding the Future: Navigating the Complexities and Innovations in Sustainable Food Systems with research”
Milena CORREDIG
Aarhus University
Milena Corredig is a Professor of Food Science at Aarhus University, Denmark, and Villum Investigator. She also holds a visiting professorship at Lund University in Sweden, named after Lise Meitner, a physicist known for her crucial role in the discovery of nuclear fission. Her research focuses on food science and technology, and specifically on the structure and functionality of food proteins and a systemic approach to sustainable food processing. She is actively involved in multidisciplinary research aimed at transforming food systems. She has published about 360 refereed publications in high impact journals, she is the editor of Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, food hydrocolloids and sustainable food proteins. She is actively involved in entrepreneurship education, and a strong advocate for research excellence with impact.
Aarti TOBIN
Just Meat Protein
“Rethinking Meat: Maximising the protein potential through whole-animal utilisation”
Aarti TOBIN
Just Meat Protein
Dr Aarti Tobin is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Just Meat Protein, a start-up manufacturing high protein powders from underutilised meat. She is a globally recognised research scientist and food technologist with over 35 years of experience leading innovation in the food and meat industries. During her 31 years at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, she has driven high-impact research focused on boosting the value, functionality, and sustainability of animal-derived proteins, contributing to Australia’s Future Protein Roadmap. Her work includes the development of innovative, market-ready products such as nutrient-dense, soluble meat powders designed to address global nutrition and food security challenges; as well as specialised solutions for the aged care sector, particularly for individuals with dysphagia (swallowing disorders). Dr Tobin combines deep scientific expertise with a strong commercial mindset, bridging traditional food science and emerging technologies to deliver scalable, consumer-centric solutions. Over the last 5 years Dr Tobin with her colleagues at CSIRO have developed a patent pending process to convert meat into a high protein, allergen free powder, that can be used in any food or beverage product that needs a nutritional boost. Her leadership continues to shape the future of sustainable protein production and strengthen Australia’s role in the global food innovation ecosystem.
Xiaodong CHEN
Nanyang Technological University
“Conformal Bioelectronic Interface”
Xiaodong CHEN
Nanyang Technological University
Professor Xiaodong Chen is a Distinguished University Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, with appointments in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, and Medicine. Internationally recognised for his work in interdisciplinary materials science, he has pioneered bio-interfaced electronics that integrate biological systems with rigid devices. His innovations, spanning from water-responsive materials for nerve repair to wearable tactile sensors, are transforming medical diagnostics and treatment.
Prof Chen’s achievements have earned him numerous prestigious honours, including the Singapore President’s Science Award, NRF Investigatorship and Fellowship, the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award, the Dan Maydan Prize in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and the Kabiller Young Investigator Award. He is an elected member of the Royal Society, the Singapore National Academy of Science, the Academy of Engineering Singapore, and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He plays an active role in the scientific community, serving on editorial boards of top journals such as Advanced Materials, Chemical Reviews, Matter, and Small. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of ACS Nano, a leading global journal in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Evelyn WANG
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Evelyn WANG
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Evelyn N. Wang is the Vice President for Energy and Climate and the Ford Professor of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She previously served as the Senate-confirmed Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) from 2023-2025, where she led the Agency’s development, launch, and execution of high-risk, high-reward energy research and development programs. At MIT, she developed technologies for thermal management, energy conversion and storage, and water harvesting and purification. Dr. Wang holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. She also received an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Bin LIU
National University of Singapore
“Programable Singlet Oxygen Battery”
Bin LIU
National University of Singapore
Professor Bin Liu is Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Bin graduated with bachelor’s degree from Nanjing University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from NUS. She had postdoctoral training at the University of California, Santa Barbara before joining NUS in late 2005. Bin has been well-recognized for her contributions to polymer chemistry and organic nanomaterials for energy and biomedical applications. She is an international member of the US National Academy of Engineering. Since 2019, she has served as the Deputy Editor to launch and develop ACS Materials Letters, a flagship materials journal of the American Chemical Society.
Terry VAN GEVELT
Singapore Management University
“Operationalising climate projections through downward counterfactuals and virtual reality”
Terry VAN GEVELT
Singapore Management University
Terry van Gevelt is Associate Professor of Urban Sustainability and Lee Kong Chian Fellow at the College of Integrative Studies, Singapore Management University. Terry is an interdisciplinary social scientist focused on bridging the sustainability science-policy divide. His current research programme focuses on understanding and communicating the impacts of complex and uncertain climate impacts to diverse stakeholders. Terry is currently Lead Principal Investigator for a Climate Impact Science Research Programme (CISRP) grant funded by the National Environment Agency and National Research Foundation, Singapore. His research has been published in leading interdisciplinary journals, including Nature Climate Change, Climatic Change and Environmental Science and Policy. Terry holds MPhil and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge.
Michael SHORT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michael SHORT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Biography information is currently unavailable. Please check back later.
Tae-Eog LEE
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
“Next-Generation Manufacturing: Challenges, Issues, and Future Strategies”
Tae-Eog LEE
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Tae-Eog Lee is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). He has worked on semiconductor manufacturing automation, including scheduling & control and software engineering of clustered process tools, fab operation management, discrete event system modelling and control, AI-based scheduling and control, smart fab and factory, and manufacturing innovation strategies. He actively collaborated with industrial partners, including semiconductor manufacturing tool vendors and fabs. He graduated from Seoul National University, KAIST, and Ohio State University. He joined KAIST in 1991. He was an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. He received the Korea Engineering Award and the Month’s Scientist from Korea Research Foundation and Korea Ministry of Science and Technology, the Year’s KAIST Award, etc. He is a member and a board member of the Korea Academy of Science and Technology.
Xiaogang LIU
National University of Singapore
“Frequency-Converting Nanocrystals: A New Frontier in Nanophotonics”
Xiaogang LIU
National University of Singapore
Xiaogang Liu earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Northwestern University in 2004. Following this, he spent two years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. He joined the Department of Chemistry at the National University of Singapore in 2006 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2017. He holds a joint appointment with the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine. Among his research interests are the study of energy transfer in lanthanide-doped nanomaterials, the application of optical nanomaterials for neuromodulation and light-field imaging, the development of advanced X-ray imaging scintillators, and the prototyping of electronic tools for assistive technologies.
Walter LEITNER
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
“Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide as Building Blocks for a Sustainable Energy-Chemistry Nexus”
Bin LIU
National University of Singapore
Biography information is currently unavailable. Please check back later.
Nieng YAN
Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation
“From Sugar Transporters to Glycoconjugated Ion Channels”
Nieng YAN
Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation
YAN Nieng received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Department of Biological Science and Technology at Tsinghua University in 2000 and Ph.D. from the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University in 2004, where she continued her postdoctoral research. She joined School of Medicine, Tsinghua University as a professor in 2007. Ten years later, in 2017, she was recruited back by Princeton University and became the inaugural Shirley M. Tilghman Professor of Molecular Biology. In 2022, Yan Nieng served as the Founding President of Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research & Translation (SMART). In 2023, she served as the Director of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL).
Dr. Yan’s primary research interest has been in the structural and mechanistic investigation of membrane transport proteins that are of tremendous physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmaceutical significance. She reported the first structures of the human glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUG3, the eukaryotic voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, and a number of proteins involved in sterol metabolism. Her present research program focuses on structure-guided mechanistic understanding and drug discovery for pain relief. Her achievements have won her numerous accolades.
Loh Xian JUN
A*STAR IMRE
Loh Xian JUN
A*STAR IMRE
Prof Loh Xian Jun completed his basic and postgraduate studies at the National University of Singapore. As a polymer chemist by training, he is currently the Executive Director of A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering ( A*STAR IMRE ). He is concurrently an Adjunct Professor in the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. As a pioneer and recognized global expert in the area of biodegradable thermogels, he is highly knowledgeable in developing these materials for various applications spanning biomedical, engineering, cosmetics, personal care and food. He is also the current President of Singapore National Institute of Chemistry and Fellow of Singapore National Academy of Science. With his extensive experience in authoring >595 journal papers ( H-index : 106 ), 48 patents and know-hows, >30 book chapters and 7 books, he currently sits on several editorial boards of international journals as an expert in his area. He has also successfully helped in the commercialization of 18 different products and is always interested in the translation of science to products.
Choon Hong TAN
Nanyang Technological University
“Chiral Cationic Ion Pair Catalysis using Guanidiniums”
Choon Hong TAN
Nanyang Technological University
Prof. Tan received his BSc (Hons), First Class from the National University of Singapore in 1995 and completed his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1999. Following that, he carried out two years postdoctoral training at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University. Subsequently, he worked as a Research Associate at Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School for another year before joined the Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore as Assistant Professor in 2003. He was then promoted to Associate Professor in 2010. He joined Nanyang Technological University in 2012 as an Associate Professor and was promoted to Full Professor in 2016. He is currently the President’s Chair Professor of Organic Chemistry at NTU. His research interest is in the field of Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Catalysis.
Professor Tan is the immediate past President of Singapore National Institute of Chemistry and current Vice-President of the Singapore National Academy of Science. He was elected to the Singapore National Academy of Science in 2020. He is recently named the recipient of the 2023 Ta-Shue Chou Lectureship Award and gave the Grubbs Institute Distinguished Lecture at the Grubbs Institute in 2024.
Chiba SHUNSUKE
Nanyang Technological University
Patrice SIMON
Toulouse University
“Nanoconfinement Effects on Electrochemical Charge Storage”
Patrice SIMON
Toulouse University
Patrice Simon is Exceptional Class Professor of Material Science at Toulouse University (France). His research activities focus on the fundamental understanding of electrochemical processes occurring at the material / electrolyte interfaces in electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices (batteries and electrochemical capacitors). He is leading the National Research Program on Batteries (PEPR Batteries 2023-2029), and the French Network on Electrochemical Energy Storage (RS2E). Patrice Simon is Fellow of the French Academy of Sciences (2019), Academia Europaea (2019) and European Academy of Sciences (2020).
