Professor Warren C.W. Chan, Dean of College of Engineering, NTU
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning.
1. I am delighted to join you here today.
- It is heartening to see so many young minds, educators and industry partners gathered to celebrate innovation, creativity and the spirit of engineering.
2. Engineering goes beyond the mastery of deep technical skills.
- First, the pursuit of engineering allows one to develop inventive thinking and a problem-solving mentality.
- Second, engineering creates new possibilities in everyday life.
- Finally, engineers have to understand the real-world context well, and collaborate with others to come up with solutions.
3. I am going to elaborate on these three observations about engineering. I understand that I'm speaking to the people who already believe in the importance of STEM and engineering, but these are messages and ideas that we have to communicate and persuade people about, especially students and young adults considering a career in engineering.
Engineering Develops a Problem-Solving Mentality
4. It is key that the future generation we nurture – not just engineers, but society as a whole – possess an inventive problem-solving mindset.
- Our schools and IHLs ensure that our students are well-equipped with competencies to further their interests in science, technology, engineering and math.
- Beyond that, we seek to instill in students a disposition towards curiosity, creativity, and innovation, in the hope that students go on to develop solutions for the future.
5. One of the key goals of 'Live It Up!' is to inspire our next generation of problem-solvers.
- The exhibits, workshops and talks aim to spark students' interest in engineering, particularly in domains such as robotics, sustainability, and food security.
- I am especially heartened to see our young – from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions – being exposed to this idea of a problem-solving mentality that makes these engineering solutions possible.
Engineering Creates New Possibilities
6. Engineering is a deeply practical discipline that provides solutions to existing problems. However, engineers are not only in the business of building things and coming up with solutions. Good engineers bring new possibilities to life.
- Our life today has been shaped by the possibilities imagined yesterday, thanks to engineering solutions.
7. As we face the defining challenges of our time – climate change, energy sustainability, resource scarcity – engineering remains our best hope to create new possibilities.
- These are opportunities for engineers to think technically, creatively and ethically.
8. The exhibits here at 'Live It Up!' reflect these possibilities.
- In the Spawning Feeds exhibit, Professor Joachim Loo and his team are transforming aquaculture by developing encapsulated bioactive feeds.
- Instead of manual hormone injections, this oral delivery method offers a safer and more efficient way to improve fish spawning and welfare.
- This solution showcases how engineering can directly support food security and sustainable practices.
Engineering Thrives Through Close Industry Collaboration
9. Raising the next generation of engineers who can breathe life into new possibilities requires close collaboration between educators and industry.
- Coming up with engineering solutions requires engineers to understand real-world issues in order to solve existing and emerging problems. To train our students to have this mindset, industry collaborations are vital in bringing the real-world context into the classroom.
- Close collaborations with industry also allow us to raise the next generation of engineers who possess the technical skills, and are able to appreciate the implications of their engineering solutions.
10. Our institutes of higher learning – such as Singapore Polytechnic and the Institute of Technical Education, which are here today, partner with industry to develop curricula, support staff development, and provide opportunities for internships and attachments. Some of our primary and secondary schools also collaborate with industry partners on Applied Learning Programmes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM.
- For example, Changkat Changi Secondary School's Applied Learning Programme develops students' skills and knowledge in aerospace and the aviation industry. The school's partnership with Rolls-Royce has created opportunities for students to learn from the company's STEM Ambassadors how to build rocket models and programme autonomous vehicles.
- Last year, Rolls-Royce invited the school's students to serve as ambassadors at the Singapore Airshow, offering the students invaluable exposure to the aviation sector. This coming October, about 80 Secondary Two students will participate in a learning journey to the Rolls-Royce facility, where students will explore the Trent Engine and attend a career talk by industry professionals, and I hope they will be inspired to pursue this as a career option.
11. I thank our industry partners, especially those here today, for your close partnership in supporting STEM education. I urge you to keep nurturing the next generation of STEM thinkers, practitioners, and leaders, as these are the people who will shape Singapore's tomorrow.
Closing
12. This event shows what is possible when we create authentic learning experiences that connect education to the real world. I commend NTU, our five polytechnics and all participating schools, industry partners, and agencies for coming together to make this event possible.
13. Beyond this event, I hope the partnership between schools, institutions, and industries continues to build a vibrant, dynamic and future-ready ecosystem of engineering education.
14. I hope all of you will leave today inspired by the ideas and potential on display; with renewed vigour and conviction to bring engineering, and education, to life together.
15. Thank you.