Highly Commended in The Global Undergraduate Awards 2025 – Gong Deyang and Chua Zong Han

(from left to right) Gong Deyang, Chua Zong Han

Congratulations to Gong Deyang (Civil Engineering, Class of 2025) and Chua Zong Han (Maritime Studies, Class of 2025), who have been named Highly Commended Entrants (Top 10%) in The Global Undergraduate Awards 2025. This international academic awards programme recognises originality, innovation, and excellence at the undergraduate level.

Gong Deyang and Chua Zong Han received the awards in the categories of Engineering and Business & Economics, respectively. 

(from left to right) Gong Deyang, Associate Professor Edmond Lo, Hou Wenlong

Titled “Seismic Exposure of Buildings in Chengdu City, China”, Gong Deyang’s project integrated an updated seismic exposure database with resolution down to building level for Chengdu City and applied QGIS, an open-source Geographic Information System software, to analyse geospatial and building characteristics such as location, footprints, and height.

Deyang was mentored by Associate Professor Edmond Lo and received support from Hou Wenlong, a PhD candidate.

Deyang is now a Research Assistant at NTU Asian School of the Environment and she focuses on nature-based solutions for urban heat mitigation, contributing to building a more sustainable and resilient world.

(from left to right) Captain Tan Kim Hock, Chua Zong Han

Chua Zong Han’s project, “Identifying the Fuel Alternatives to Shipping, Along with an In-Depth Discussion”, explored the use of ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen as long-term marine fuel alternatives. By assessing 12 economic, political, technological, and operational factors and gathering insights from maritime professionals, the study highlights hydrogen’s potential for adoption while underscoring the importance of costs, accessibility, storage, and regulatory frameworks in shaping the industry’s decarbonisation journey.

Zong Han was mentored by Captain Tan Kim Hock and extends his appreciation to the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) programme. He aspires to build on this foundation and support sustainability initiatives in the maritime and energy sectors.