SHAPE x STEM Talk Series: Let’s Talk About Obesity

 

The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CoHASS) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) has launched an exciting new initiative: the SHAPE x STEM Talk Series — designed to bring together scholars from across disciplines to foster interdisciplinary conversations on today's most pressing challenges.

The College kickstarted the inaugural session of the series on 26 September 2025, reinforcing NTU’s ongoing commitment to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration across fields. Titled "Let’s Talk About Obesity", the session featured a compelling and thought-provoking dialogue between Professor Christian Wolfrum, NTU Provost, and Professor May Lwin, Associate Provost (Faculty Affairs), with Professor Jon Wilson, Dean of CoHASS, moderating the discussion.

Professor Wolfrum and Professor Lwin discussed obesity and metabolic health, engaging in a fascinating conversation about the relationship between biology and culture, individual patterns and social norms, the history of statistics, attitudes toward body size, and many other related topics. The conversation demonstrated not only the importance of collaboration between scientists and humanities scholars but also how such dialogues challenge conventional ideas about what counts as knowledge.

The SHAPE x STEM initiative fosters research and discussions that cross boundaries and cultivate new ways of thinking. With many more sessions planned, this series promises to continue sparking insightful interdisciplinary conversations on a wide range of pressing issues.