Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors’ Commendation Award – Dr Chen Hao

The School is proud to announce that Dr Chen Hao, Research Fellow of NTU School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has received the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors’ Commendation Award 2025 (Open Section) for the project on “Flexible Seawall for Coastal Reservoirs”. 

With the rise in sea levels, growing freshwater demand, and limited land resources, there is an urgent need for sustainable and adaptable coastal defence solutions. Flexible seawalls are being developed to integrate coastal protection with freshwater storage, environmental sustainability, and long-term adaptability.  
 
These seawalls are designed with adjustable heights to accommodate future sea-level rise and are integrated with coastal reservoirs, providing a resilient solution for the coasts of Singapore. 
 
“I’m truly grateful for this award. It reflects not just my own work, but the commitment and collaboration of everyone involved. This recognition inspires me to keep striving toward greater impact,” shares Dr Chen. 
 
“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Chu Jian and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering for their guidance and support throughout this journey,” he adds.  
 
Learn more about the project here.  
 
About the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors’ Award 
The Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award has been in existence since 1986 to laude inventors for their inventions that are original, practical and which can be commercialised to generate wealth for the country. Learn more about it here.