Four Faculty Earn NTU Engineering Awards

Engineering progress rarely follows a straight line. It can start with the curiosity to uncover a new physical phenomenon, the drive to turn a laboratory discovery into a viable technology, or a partnership that takes an idea from research to real-world application.

The 2026 College of Engineering Awards celebrate four NTU Engineering faculty whose work reflects these different paths to impact, spanning fundamental research, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration.

This year’s winners have advanced fields ranging from spin electrocatalysis and nanophotonics to sustainable materials, while turning engineering research into technologies for agriculture, healthcare, transport and energy.

 

Professor Lam Yeng Ming (School of Materials Science and Engineering)
CoE Innovator (Entrepreneurship) Award 2026

Professor Lam is recognised for translating sustainable materials research from the laboratory to commercial application. Her team developed a biodegradable microgel made from plant waste that improves soil water retention by 50 per cent, helping make sandy soil suitable for cultivation. The technology has been commercialised and is undergoing international field trials.

Find out more about Prof Lam’s lab and research here.

 

Professor Jason Xu Zhichuan (School of Materials Science and Engineering)
CoE Research Award 2026

Professor Xu is honoured for his contributions to spin electrocatalysis, which explores how electron spin can influence and accelerate chemical reactions. His discoveries have established design principles that could improve the efficiency of green hydrogen production and sustainable ammonia-based energy systems.

Find out more about Prof Xu’s lab and research here.

 

Professor Zheng Yuanjin (School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
CoE Industrial Excellence Award 2026

Professor Zheng has built deep, synergistic partnerships with global industry, securing approximately S$40 million in funding and co-directing the Schaeffler-NTU Corporate Lab. His translational research has produced sensing and monitoring technologies with applications ranging from non-invasive healthcare to railway track inspection and power-grid monitoring.

Find out more about Prof Zheng’s lab and research here.

 

Nanyang Assistant Professor Guangwei Hu (School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
CoE Research – Young Faculty Award 2026

Nanyang Assistant Professor Hu, an outstanding early-career researcher, is recognised for his achievements in nanophotonics. By manipulating light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, his group has engineered ultra-compact flat lenses that significantly simplify and shrink complex medical imaging and semiconductor inspection equipment.

Find out more about Prof Hu’s lab and research here.