NUS University Awards 2019
Published: 31 May 2019
NUS celebrated the accomplishments of eight outstanding educators, researchers and professionals at the NUS University Awards 2019 on 28 May. The annual event, which was held at the University Cultural Centre, recognises individuals for their remarkable contributions in the areas of education, research and service to the University, to Singapore and the global community.
Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, Executive Director of the Office for Healthcare Transformation and Chief Health Scientist at MOH and former Dean of NUS Medicine, was conferred with the prestigious Outstanding Service Award for his accomplishments and stewardship as NUS President from 2008 to 2017.
Two of the eight exemplary educators and researchers awarded this year were from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Professor Markus R Wenk, Head of NUS Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry, was presented with the University Research Recognition Award for his work in establishing and developing the Singapore Lipidomics Incubator and his contribution to lipids research, while Associate Professor Nga Min En from the School’s Department of Pathology and received the Outstanding Educator Award in recognition of her innovative teaching methods.
Prof Markus Wenk has been interested in membrane lipids, their structure and function since his undergraduate years. He spearheads novel approaches in systems scale analysis of lipids and their interactors (lipidomics) and is recognised as one of leading investigators worldwide in this emerging field. He established SLING, the Singapore Lipidomics Incubator; an interdisciplinary programme dedicated to innovation, education and partnership in lipidomics research at the University. Read more about Prof Wenk from his interview here.
A/Prof Nga Min En from the Department of Pathology teaches students in undergraduate and postgraduate classes. In August 2017, she spearheaded Pathweb, a combination of a virtual pathology museum that holds digitised, annotated specimens of diseased organs, to help her students examine pathological specimens properly. The digitalisation process took years of effort by her and her team, digitising the specimens in the pathology labs – painstakingly photographing, editing and composing each specimen pot. The platform has since expanded to a teaching blog-site with videos and mind maps for students’ self-study. Medical students and faculty members from other parts of the world have requested access to Pathweb, a testament to the quality of work produced by A/Prof Nga and her team.
Read more about the University Awards on NUS News, and check out the press release here.
