It is my great pleasure to congratulate all of you for your outstanding achievements at NTU!

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1 Our PhD Journey

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4 It is my great pleasure to congratulate all of you for your outstanding achievements at NTU! Today, the focus is entirely on you and you should celebrate years of hard work and exciting discoveries at NTU with your family and friends. As Dean of the Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS), I m especially proud to congratulate the very first batch of PhD graduates from our interdisciplinary frontier programmes. You, as pioneers, go and inspire others and contribute to the success of this very important journey of bringing NTU s scientific disciplines together. You are strongly encouraged to remain part of our family to give of your time and talent to serve as ambassadors of our school. I wish you all the best as you embark on your future career to solve global challenges the interdisciplinary way, setting the international stage for interdisciplinary success! Dean, Interdisciplinary Graduate School Prof Bo Liedberg Class 2016

5 In 2012, NTU Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS) was set up to spearhead multi-disciplinary research in the areas of sustainability, healthcare, and new media. Today, we celebrate a major milestone as we congratulate our very first graduates on successfully completing their theses and receiving their doctorate. These graduates are pioneers not only in IGS, but also in Asia, as IGS is the first graduate school of its kind to be established in the region. Concentrating on two or more disciplines instead of just one, our students break the boundaries between traditional fields of study. Highlighting the significance of IGS, NTU President Professor Bertil Andersson noted that today, fresh thinking is urgently needed to mitigate global challenges. IGS enables us to spearhead leading-edge research and solutions to address global challenges, while advancing the creation of new knowledge at the forefront of engineering, science and innovation. In his congratulatory message to the graduates, Professor Bo Liedberg, Dean of IGS, said, You, as pioneers, go and inspire others. Contribute to the success of this very important journey of bringing NTU s scientific disciplines together. I wish you all the best, as you embark on your future career to solve global challenges the interdisciplinary way, setting the international stage for interdisciplinary success! As we applaud the achievements of our inaugural batch of PhD graduates, let us take a peek into their postgraduate journey and be inspired.

6 Be open, listen and observe more, interact widely, and stay focused. Dr Goh Kunli Main Supervisor Prof Chen Yuan School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Co-supervisor Prof Wang Rong Mentor Prof Anthony Gordon Fane Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) Thesis Title: The Potential of Carbon Nanomaterials for Advancing High Performance Membranes Kunli believes that PhD students need to be open, listen and observe more, interact widely, and stay focused to succeed. That is what he did during his four years at IGS. Through IGS, I have gained access into different labs and therefore their inner workings. It has helped me tremendously as I got exposed to many different experts from various disciplines, learnt from them and tried to internalise the knowledge gained for my research work, said Kunli. For his thesis, he chose a topic that combined the strengths of his supervisor and co-supervisor in carbon nanomaterials and membrane science and technology respectively: bringing out the potential of carbon nanomaterials for advancing membranes. The ex-high school chemistry teacher joined IGS as he concurs with the school on the importance of cross-disciplinary solutions in tackling worldwide challenges. Being the pioneer batch is the icing on the cake. After graduation, Kunli plans to continue his research on other potential applications of carbon nanomaterials.

7 Never give up, and develop a thick skin to deal with experimental failures. Dr Lee Jie Lin Jaslyn Main Supervisor Prof William Chen Wei Ning School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Co-supervisor Asst Prof Cao Bin Mentor Prof Liu Yu Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) Thesis Title: Carotenoids and Lipids Production from Engineered R. Toruloids Grown on Waste Substrates Jaslyn applied to IGS because the school promotes research of an interdisciplinary nature. I realise that innovative research often requires the application of techniques and knowledge from across different disciplines. Therefore IGS was appealing to me. said Jaslyn. Her thesis is about the sustainable production of food from waste materials, with a research focus on the production of lipids and carotenoids. Carotenoids are pro-vitamin A molecules that are essential in the human diet. Many people living in developing countries do not take enough vitamin A, resulting in malnutrition. Jaslyn hopes that her work will alleviate this problem by giving people access to a cheap source of vitamin A. During her research, Jaslyn had to deal with multiple experimental failures. Talking to her lab mates and seeking their opinions helped her overcome her challenges. Her interactions with her co-supervisor and mentor also provided the encouragement she needed and advice on her future career. When asked what she thinks are the attributes for PhD students to successfully complete their doctorate, Jaslyn replied, Never give up, and develop a thick skin to deal with experimental failures.

8 It is my great honour to grow together with IGS during my four years study at NTU as the pioneer batch Dr Qin Detao Main Supervisor Assoc Prof Darren Sun Delai Co-supervisor Prof Liu Zhaoyang Mentor Dr Bai Hongwei Research Associate Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Energy Research NTU (ERI@N) Thesis Title: Novel Nanocomposite Forward Osmosis Membranes for Treating Highly Saline and Oily Wastewater with Low Fouling, High Water Flux and High Selectivity Detao strives to do what is good, useful, and beneficial to society through his work. His thesis focuses on the development of novel nanocomposite forward osmosis membranes for treating highly saline and oily wastewater with low membrane fouling, high water flux, and high selectivity. This research helps to create a sustainable supply of water, especially for countries facing scarcity. At the beginning of his research, Detao lacked the technical skills to operate specific advanced instruments for the analysis of membrane samples. It was with the assistance of his group seniors and IGS classmates that he overcame this obstacle. Detao feels fortunate to be among the pioneer batch to graduate from IGS. It is my great honour to grow together with IGS during my four years study at NTU as the pioneer batch, said Detao. After graduating, he will miss the beautiful NTU campus and more importantly the kind supervisors, IGS classmates, IGS staff, group seniors, and lab staff at NTU.

9 What you sow is what you harvest. Never take shortcuts as it will haunt you one day. Dr Tan Ming Rui Joel Main Supervisor Assoc Prof Lydia Helena Wong School of Materials Science & Engineering Co-supervisor Asst Prof Ling Xing Yi School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences Mentor Assoc Prof Andrew Clive Grimsdale School of Materials Science & Engineering Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Energy Research NTU (ERI@N) Thesis Title: Temporal Growth Studies of Cu2(M)SnS4(M=Zn,Mn,Fe,Co) Nanoparticles Formation Prior to joining IGS, Joel was on an accelerated bachelor s programme in Chemical and Biological Chemistry at the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in NTU. Having found his interest in research in his undergraduate years, Joel decided to continue his postgraduate studies in this field. He chose IGS because the school provides a platform with a vast potential for collaboration across the schools in NTU. Exposure to interdisciplinary content encourages us to tackle a problem from a multidisciplinary approach, Joel commented. This approach has served him well for his thesis: temporal growth study of nanomaterial used for solar cells, which acts as a synthetic guideline for researchers in the creation of lighter solar cells with higher efficiency to meet the world s demand. While working on his thesis, Joel experienced endless failure with unlimited overtime. Nevertheless, he overcame this with his mental will, and is glad to be able to graduate on time. He has these wise words for his juniors: What you sow is what you harvest. Never take shortcuts as it will haunt you one day.

10 Don t get frustrated if you are not having expected results In PhD, ups and downs are normal. Dr Varun Chaudhary Main Supervisor Assoc Prof Raju Ramanujan School of Materials Science & Engineering Co-supervisor Assoc Prof Sridhar Idapalapati School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Mentor Assoc Prof Rajdeep Singh Rawat National Institute of Education Singapore Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Energy Research NTU (ERI@N) Thesis Title: Study of Iron Based Magnetocaloric Nanomaterials When Varun received his scholarship offer letter from NTU, he was considering offers from two other universities. He is glad he chose IGS. Apart from the ability to carry out interdisciplinary research, he enjoyed the opportunities for interaction at IGS. As a member of the IGS Club, he helped to initiate the student seminar series that have been beneficial for many students. He also cherished the one-to-one sessions with the Dean, which had been helpful in his PhD journey. Varun s thesis on the study of iron-based magnetocaloric nanomaterials can potentially help to save energy and reduce toxic emissions and greenhouse gases through the use of magnetic materials for cooling. In line with his area of research, he was offered an IEEE Magnetic Society Scholarship to attend summer school in the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. To his juniors who are pursuing their PhD dreams, Varun has these words of encouragement: Don t get frustrated if you are not having expected results. Take a rest, think about possible reasons. In PhD, ups and downs are normal.

11 Be passionate, patient and persevering in your research, and you ll go through all the tough times. Dr Zhang Yanmei Main Supervisor Assoc Prof Xiao Zhongmin School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Co-supervisor Asst Prof Huang Zhenhua Mentor Assoc Prof Tan Soon Keat Sustainable Earth PhD Programme Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) Thesis Title: Failure Analysis and Damage Prevention on Offshore Pipelines Under Extreme Loadings Yanmei is the first graduate to complete her doctorate in IGS. Her thesis is on failure analysis and damage prevention of offshore pipelines under extreme loadings. Possessing a mechanical engineering background and two years of work experience as a research associate in coastal engineering, Yanmei decided to take the interdisciplinary route of research at IGS under the advice of her supervisor, Professor Huang. It was tough for her during the first year, as her previous research work in coastal engineering was rather different from her PhD topic. Nevertheless, she persevered, conquering a steep learning curve, to pass her QE within 12 months and publish her first paper in a top journal. It was not easy, but IGS made it easier for me with the resources provided and the enriching activities planned. I had the opportunity to have two supervisors from two different schools and a mentor from the industry, which was really beneficial to me, said Yanmei. Yanmei also found it helpful to talk to the Dean regularly and to attend the activities organised by the school, which increased her confidence. She advises her juniors to be passionate, patient and persevering in your research, and you ll go through all the tough times.

12 INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE SCHOOL Nanyang Technological University Interdisciplinary Graduate School 50 Nanyang Avenue, South Spine, Level B3, Block S2-B3a-01, Singapore (65) (65)