Eight exemplary individuals honoured for their contributions to education, research and service at NUS University Awards
The National University of Singapore (NUS) recognised eight outstanding individuals who distinguished themselves with their achievements and contributions in the areas of education, research and service to the University, Singapore and the global community in 2021.
At the NUS University Awards held on 17 March, the prestigious Outstanding Service Award was conferred on Mdm Kay Kuok Oon Kwong, Executive Chairman of Allgreen Properties Limited and Director of Shangri-la Hotel Singapore, and Ms Janet Ang, Chairman of the Institute of Systems Science at NUS (NUS-ISS), in recognition of their inspiring leadership and dedicated service. Both are accomplished individuals who have made sustained contributions in selflessly serving the University and society.
NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “We are proud to honour eight deserving recipients who have achieved peaks of excellence in their pursuits and exemplified the enduring NUS values of innovation, excellence and resilience. All of them are committed, inspiring and talented individuals central to NUS’ endeavour in building a great university dedicated to quality education, influential research and visionary service in service of country and society. The NUS University Awards celebrates the remarkable achievements of our 2021 award recipients. My heartiest congratulations to all of them!”
Besides the Outstanding Service Award, the other award categories are University Research Recognition Award, Young Researcher Award and Outstanding Educator Award.
Outstanding Service Award
Mdm Kay Kuok Oon Kwong
A dedicated leader of the Shangri-La Group, Mdm Kay Kuok Oon Kwong has been instrumental in developing and growing Shangri-La Hotel into one of the most prestigious and best-regarded landmark hotels in Singapore.
Mdm Kuok co-chaired the COOL taskforce in 2003 during the SARS crisis as a member of the Singapore Tourism Board’s Tourism Consultative Council and Board of Directors; and played a key role in implementing various initiatives which mitigated the impact of SARS on businesses and helped the tourism industry recover rapidly.
In her 12 years as a member of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2020, Mdm Kuok has served the University with tireless dedication and made immense contributions. She provided astute leadership and vision in charting the University’s strategic goals in education and research, in addition to ably discharging the Board’s fiduciary duties.
As the Founding Chair of the Yale-NUS College Governing Board, Mdm Kuok provided strategic direction, guidance and support to the College in various aspects, from curriculum development and faculty hiring, to finances and infrastructure.
Ms Janet Ang
NUS-ISS Chairman Ms Janet Ang had an illustrious career spanning more than three decades in the Information and Communications Technology industry, notably with IBM in Singapore, China and Japan. During her years at IBM as Managing Director and IBM Vice President, Industry Solutions, IBM Asia Pacific, she had orchestrated several noteworthy collaborations in education and research between IBM and NUS.
As the Founding Chair of the Digitalisation Committee at Singapore Business Federation Foundation from 2017 to 2020, Ms Ang worked closely with government agencies, trade associations and Chambers of Commerce to address the digital needs of Singapore businesses.
Helming the NUS-ISS Management Board since 2016, Ms Ang oversaw NUS-ISS’ transformation into a leading institution for the development of industry digital talents. Among her many contributions, she spearheaded ground-breaking strategies, such as the appointment of NUS-ISS as the operations partner of The Digital Academy, serving the whole of government in Singapore.
Ms Ang is a passionate advocate for gender equality and women’s career advancement, serving on the Council of Board Diversity since 2019. She was also a Past President of the International Women’s Forum (Singapore Chapter).
Six exemplary educators and researchers honoured
The NUS University Awards also celebrated the accomplishments of six outstanding educators and researchers:
University Research Recognition Award
Professor Ooi Beng Chin
Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professor
Department of Computer Science, NUS School of Computing
Young Researcher Award
Assistant Professor Shao Huilin
Department of Biomedical Engineering, NUS College of Design and Engineering
Institute for Health Innovation & Technology
Associate Professor Benjamin C.K. Tee
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NUS College of Design and Engineering
N.1 Institute for Health, NUS College of Design and Engineering
Institute for Health Innovation & Technology
Associate Professor Wu Jie
Department of Chemistry, NUS College of Humanities and Sciences
Outstanding Educator Award
Associate Professor Marleen Dieleman
Department of Strategy and Policy, NUS Business School
Associate Professor Alfred Kow Wei Chieh
Department of Surgery, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
