Speech by Professor Subra Suresh, President, NTU, at the Nanyang Business School International Women's Day Forum 2022

Welcome Address by

Professor Subra Suresh

President, Nanyang Technological University

 

Nanyang Business School International Women’s Day Forum

 

Nanyang Auditorium

Wednesday, 30 March 2022, 10:00am

Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance & Second Minister for National Development,

Distinguished guests,

NTU colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

A warm welcome to Nanyang Technological University.

I would like to thank our Guest of Honour, Ms Indranee Rajah, for gracing this event, as well as our alumni, corporate partners, students and colleagues for joining us this morning.

International Women's Day takes place every year on 8 March to celebrate the achievements of women all over the world. The theme for International Women's Day this year is Gender Equality Today for A Sustainable Tomorrow, or simply to #breakthebias.

NTU’s celebration of International Women's Day is an important and visible part of our commitment to advancing gender‌ equality and to promoting the meaningful participation of women in all aspects. International Women’s Day reminds us how determined, collective, and principled action by women and men to ensure the participation of women can improve lives of everyone. It is also a day for all of us to pause and remember how much more there is to do.

Today’s forum promises to be an exciting exchange of ideas, as we will hear from Ms Indranee Rajah, and NBS Dean, Professor Christina Soh, on the positive impact that women have made – and continue to make – in various sectors of society, including leadership, business, technology and innovation.

Today, it is heartening to see many distinguished women in important and game-changing roles, bringing positive impact in government, corporate and social environments, and here at NTU Singapore.

Women in Leadership

As a leading Institute of Higher Learning, NTU has been a strong advocate of women’s leadership and empowerment, by nurturing and supporting women leaders who serve as role models. We are very proud of our women faculty, staff, and students who have excelled across various sectors, locally and internationally.

For example, just last month, during the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022 organised by local non-profits United Women Singapore and EB Impact, two of NTU’s inspiring women – Professor Madhavi Srinivasan from the School of Material Science and Engineering, and Nur Estya Rahman, Research Associate from the Asian School of Environment – were featured as Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) making an impact as they pursue their passion in the area Sustainability.

Another role model is Associate Professor Ling Xing Yi, Head of NTU’s Division of Chemistry & Biology, who co-founded the start-up company Silver Factory Technology to produce the TracieX breathalyser COVID-19 test. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and MPs tried out the made-in-NTU breathalyser before attending Parliament in July last year. TracieX, has been shown to be almost as accurate as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, while taking a fraction of the time - just two minutes - to give results, and it is being deployed locally to detect COVID-19 infections.

Over the last few years, the University has also taken steps to recruit and appoint accomplished women to senior leadership roles, including Vice Presidents, Deans, chairs, and division heads. Case in point is our faculty member Professor Boh Wai Fong, Deputy Dean of Nanyang Business School. Professor Boh is no stranger to NTU. She started her academic journey in NTU 22 years ago, and today heads the Division of Information Technology and Operations Management at NBS. Professor Boh is also sought after by private organisations, as well as governmental agencies to conduct research and training programmes on topics such as innovation for competitive advantage.

Among NBS alumni, Ms Nicole Tan, Shiseido's first female regional president and CEO, and Ms Jill Lee, current CFO at Sulzer and the first Asian woman to be appointed by Siemens as their Regional Chief Financial Officer for China and North-East Asia, are both shining role-models for women looking to break the glass ceiling.

Women in Education

As part of the NTU 2025 strategic plan to transform education, NTU is increasing the number of opportunities in undergraduate and postgraduate STEM and interdisciplinary education. For example, more women in non-STEM majors can now learn about STEM topics through the new interdisciplinary core curriculum for all undergraduates. Students can also opt to learn about Gender and Diversity through interdisciplinary approaches, and pursue a Minor in Gender and Diversity Studies, which is open to all undergraduates.

As an integral part of NTU 2025, we have placed emphasis on nurturing a strong one NTU spirit grounded in a set of core values shared by our community in this important effort, as a highly diverse and cosmopolitan community. NTU is committed to treating all its members with respect and fairness and to provide all members with equal opportunity.

NTU helps young women see themselves in STEM careers through our support of flagship events for youths. For example, NTU works with Hwa Chong Institution to co-organise Singapore’s annual International Science Youth Forum, a science enrichment programme for students to network and dialogue with inspiring scholars, including Nobel laureates. Earlier this month, prominent STEM women who have spoken at the forum include 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Professor Ada Yonath and award-winning Professor in nanotechnology scientist Jackie Ying.

Earlier this month, the Promotion Of Women in Engineering Research and Science (POWERS), established a few years ago by Associate Professor Sierin Lim in partnership with colleague Professor Kimberly Kline, published a research study on women in STEM.

According to the findings, fewer than half of all women degree students study STEM in Singapore, and even fewer go on to join the STEM workforce. Women make up one third of Engineering and IT degree graduates and one third of local researchers and engineers. Out of all women with a STEM diploma or degree, only 55% work in STEM fields, compared with 70% of men.

Despite the fact that women students excel in various cases, consider the following 2020 data from the United States. According to the College Board in the US, girls account for 60% of all high school or junior college students with a or m plus averages. Despite taking more difficult classes than boys, including in mathematics and science. This is reflected in the top public universities in the US. Also, 70 per cent of all high school or junior college valedictorians in the US are girls. This has been a trend for quite some time.

Despite this, women continue to be underrepresented in professional work in many fields, including STEM fields

To encourage more women to work in STEM, POWERS has been actively highlighting inspiring women engineers, scientists and innovators. In all their programming. These activities to expand opportunities amplify the individual and collective efforts of women are important if we are to succeed in effecting sustainable change in beliefs and mindsets about gender roles and equality. The full participation of women is crucial to our commitment to gender equality, as well as to the future strength and prosperity of Singapore and the world.

Let me conclude by saying that the full participation of women is crucial to our commitment to gender equality, as well as to the future strength and prosperity of Singapore and the world. NTU will continue to play an active part in fostering an environment to encourage women to take on leadership roles and actively contribute to society through our education, research and innovation efforts. This forum is another step in our efforts to attain this call through learning together through dialogue and partnerships.

Thank you very much and I wish you all a fruitful forum.