NUS Environmental Research Institute - NERI

NERI-ArtScience Museum Joint Seminar on 8 June 2026

NUS Environmental Research Institute - NERI was pleased to host the joint seminar, Translating the Invisible: Artistic Approaches to Scientific Data, with ArtScience Museum on 8 June 2026.

The seminar featured Ersin Han Ersin of Marshmallow Laser Feast, a London-based artist collective whose work investigates the entanglements of human perception and the more-than-human world, translating scientific understanding into poetic and immersive experiences. At the heart of the collective’s practice is a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, each project emerges through dialogue and collaboration with scientific institutions and subject specialists including ecologists, neuroscientists, technologists and philosophers. The session was chaired by Assoc Prof Sanjay Swarup, NERI Director and was held as part of ArtScience Museum’s ArtScience Residency Programme, a collaborative platform for local and international creatives, artists, designers and entrepreneurs to integrate scientific inquiry with art while fostering interdisciplinary exchange and community engagement.

In a thought-provoking session, Ersin shared how scientific data can be transformed into immersive, multisensory experiences that make invisible ecological processes perceptible to human senses. Drawing on tools and datasets such as LiDAR scanning, CT imaging, ground-penetrating radar, satellite remote sensing, and long-term ecological data, the talk highlighted how artistic practice can open up new ways of understanding the more-than-human world.

From the internal architecture of giant sequoias to underground mycorrhizal networks, cetacean acoustic worlds, and the slow migration of soil, the examples presented invited participants to reflect on how art and science can come together to deepen environmental awareness and engagement.

This seminar reflects NERI’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and innovative approaches to environmental communication. NERI extends its appreciation to ArtScience Museum, Ersin Han Ersin, Emma Lee and all participants for contributing to a rich and inspiring session.

Congratulations to Dr Tedrick Lew, NERI Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor at NUS Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and his team on their recent publication in Advanced Materials on “Ratiometric Mycotoxin Detection in Living Plants with Dual-Emissive Nanosensors.”

This research brings together materials science, nanotechnology, plant science, and engineering to address a major global challenge: detecting crop disease early, rapidly, and without harming the plant. The team developed a tiny optical nanosensor capable of detecting fusaric acid, an early warning signal produced when plants are infected by harmful Fusarium fungi. Importantly, this enables detection before visible symptoms appear.

By integrating the nanosensor with a plant-friendly microneedle patch, the team created a minimally invasive approach for monitoring plant health in real time. This could help farmers and researchers respond earlier to disease, reduce crop losses, and strengthen food security.

The work also supports innovation in sustainable urban agriculture, food resilience, and precision farming. More broadly, it offers a promising tool for climate-resilient agriculture and more environmentally responsible crop management, with less reliance on destructive testing and potentially reduced use of chemicals.

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.73624

Ratiometric Mycotoxin Detection in Living Plants With Dual‐Emissive Nanosensors A minimally invasive microneedle patch integrates carbon dot-embedded metal–organic frameworks as nanosensors to detect a key fungal toxin in living plants. The nanosensor produces a ratiometric fluo...

You are cordially invited to the Public Lecture on Risky Business: The Science of Safe Water by Professor Joan B. Rose followed by Panel Discussion chaired by Prof. Karina Gin Yew-Hoong. This event is jointly organised by NUS Environmental Research Institute - NERIand NUS CEE - Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Design and Engineering (CDE).

Date: 18 June 2026, Thursday
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. (Registration starts at 9.30 a.m.)
Location: National University of Singapore(NUS), University Hall Auditorium, Level 2, University Hall Building, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077

To register, please proceed to register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3cE21e9WRKBLg-rprxlesmYmdI1R-Yh7pmcNWpH9cR3ocug/viewform or scan the QR code in the poster below.

We look forward to your participation.

On 21 May 2026, the NUS Environmental Research Institute - NERI and the Sustainable Environment Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, jointly hosted a hybrid seminar featuring two engaging talks on innovative approaches to water treatment and resource recovery.

The seminar featured Dr. Nattapong Tuntiwiwattanapun and Dr. Pummarin Khamdahsag, researchers from SERI who are currently Visiting Scientists at NERI. Hosted at NERI by Professor Hu Jiangyong, who also chaired the seminar, their visit reflects the growing partnership between NERI and SERI following the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 31 October 2025 to strengthen academic collaboration in environmental research and knowledge exchange.

Dr. Nattapong presented his research on engineering carbon-based microbial habitats for aquaculture wastewater treatment and resource recovery, highlighting the development of tailored carbon materials that can adsorb pollutants, support beneficial microbial communities, and enable nitrogen recovery for future agricultural applications.

Dr. Pummarin shared her work on K-OMS-2-based materials for arsenic treatment, featuring a coupled oxidation–adsorption approach for removing toxic As(III) from water and discussing its potential for practical filtration systems and broader environmental applications.

The seminar highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in advancing sustainable and impactful environmental solutions.

NERI-Agilent Joint Seminar, held on 11 May 2026 at the National University of Singapore, featured Associate Professor Brad Clarke from the The University of Melbourne, Australia, who delivered a presentation titled PFAS in the Australian Environment: Gaps, Risks, and Future Directions. The seminar was chaired by Dr You Luhua, Senior Research Fellow at NERI.

In his talk, Assoc Prof Clarke highlighted the widespread use of synthetic chemicals in modern society and the growing concern over their long-term environmental and health impacts. He shared his team’s extensive research on the occurrence of PFAS in the Australian environment, existing regulatory gaps, and the analytical challenges involved in detecting these compounds in environmental and biological samples. The presentation covered both targeted LC-QqQ-MS and non-targeted analysis using LC-QTOF, and examined key sources of PFAS contamination in Australia.

The seminar provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and underscored the importance of research partnerships in advancing solutions to pressing environmental challenges.

The event forms part of the ongoing collaboration between NUS, through the NUS Environmental Research Institute - NERI, and Agilent Technologies Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2024. This strategic partnership reflects a shared commitment to addressing emerging contaminants through strong academia-industry collaboration.

Peatlands and mangroves at the climate and pollution interface.

As high-value blue and green carbon ecosystems, they are increasingly exposed to xenobiotic pressures, from persistent pollutants to microplastics, with implications for ecosystem resilience, biodiversity, and long-term carbon stability.

In the meta-analysis published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, the Integrated Tropical Peatlands Research Programme (INTPREP) at the NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) mapped contaminant trajectories across these wetlands, identify major knowledge gaps, especially in peatlands, and highlight the microbiome as an often overlooked driver of ecosystem function and natural attenuation.

The key message is clear: protecting these ecosystems requires closer integration of pollution science, restoration, and microbiome-informed strategies, so wetlands can be better recognized as both carbon sinks and nature-based solutions for contaminant mitigation.

Read more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389426011271?via%3Dihub

The article was contributed by: Dr. Sourav Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Qi En Ooi, Dr. Arijit Mukherjee, Dr. Raktim Bhattacharya, Dr. Poulomi Sarkar, Zu Dienle Tan, Bernice Phang, Siew Le Chey, Assoc. Prof. Massimo Lupascu, Dr. Aditya Bandla and Assoc. Prof. Sanjay Swarup

www.sciencedirect.com

NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) was pleased to host a delegation led by Dr Manjusha Sunil from the Water Research Commission South Africa on 19 March 2026. The delegation comprised South African municipal engineers under the Young Engineers Changemakers Programme (YECP).

The visit was hosted by Professor Hu Jiangyong, Deputy Director, NERI. Dr Lee Lai Yoke, Assoc Prof Olivier Lefebvre and Ms Zhang Xiting (representing Assoc Prof Zhang Sui) also joined the session to share NERI’s research and innovations, with a focus on technology innovation in water and wastewater treatment and reclamation.

It was an engaging knowledge exchange between NUS and the young South African municipal engineers, and a valuable opportunity to connect research with real-world municipal challenges. We look forward to continued dialogue and potential collaborations to advance sustainable water solutions.

We are honored to host delegates from the Faculty of Science at Université Paris Cité (UPCité) at the NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) on 3 Mar 2026.

Hosted by NERI Director, Assoc Prof Sanjay Swarup, the visit brought together:
• Ms Nadège Jannot, Director, International Relations Office, UPCité
• Prof Patrice Coll, Vice Dean (Research), Faculty of Science
• Prof Valérie Serre, Vice-Dean (International Relations), Faculty of Science
• Mr Jan Douat, Director, International Relations, Faculty of Science
We had a productive discussion to align research interests and identify synergies for potential collaboration, and we look forward to exploring joint opportunities ahead.

Sincere thanks to Dr Mariana Losada for facilitating the discussion, and to colleagues who joined the meeting: Dr Jackson Leow (NUS Centre for Hydrogen Innovation), Prof Hu Jiangyong, Prof Karina Gin, Assoc Prof Yu Liya, Dr Marcel Ignatius and Dr Lee Lai Yoke.

NERI Chinese New Year Lo Hei Lunch

On 13 Feb 2026, NERI rang in the Lunar New Year with a lively pre-festive celebration that brought together staff, researchers, and NUS Principal Investigators for a time of tradition, creativity, and plenty of good cheer.

The program opened with a warm welcome by Assoc. Prof. Sanjay Swarup, NERI Director, followed by Huichun (挥春) — auspicious calligraphy brushed onto bright red paper — led by Prof. Ong Choon Nam, former NERI Director. With ink and brush in hand, participants took turns crafting festive well-wishes, soaking up both the artistry and the meaning behind each stroke.

From there, the mood turned playful with an origami creation challenge that gave old red envelopes (ang bao) a second life. Participants folded, shaped, and competed to see who could transform the humble ang bao into the most imaginative creations — a simple, cheerful way to highlight repurposing and resourcefulness. Congratulations to the winners of the Ang Pow Origami challenge!

The highlight, as expected, was the energetic “Lo Hei” (捞起) — the classic tossing-up-for-good-fortune ritual popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Colleagues gathered around the colorful Yusheng (raw fish salad), calling out auspicious phrases as they lifted and tossed the ingredients high into the air. By tradition, the higher the toss, the greater the hoped-for prosperity and abundance in the year ahead — and judging by the height (and laughter), NERI is set for a very lucky year.

The celebration concluded with warm wishes of 马年大吉 — blessings and good fortune in the Year of the Horse — and each attendee received mandarin oranges, an enduring Lunar New Year symbol of wealth, luck, and prosperity.

Thank you to the event emcee, Dr He Zhengyao, for creating a wonderful Lunar New Year celebration atmosphere throughout the event.

A festive reminder that at NERI, the new year is welcomed not only with tradition but also with community, creativity, and shared optimism for what’s ahead.

More photos of the event are available on https://www.nus.edu.sg/neri/events/eventsgallery/neri-chinese-new-year-lo-hei-lunch/

We had the honour of attending the Urban Solutions and Sustainability R&I Congress 2026 – Re-inventing Cities of Tomorrow (5–6 Feb 2026), graced by the Minister for National Development, Mr. Chee Hong Tat.

Advancing the urban solutions by translating research into real-world impact for the Cities of Tomorrow in the key USS research areas has been the backbone of NERI's research focus: (1) Water: innovations to strengthen water security and resilience, including safeguarding our water through monitoring and detection of emerging pollutants, improved treatment processes, and systems that support efficient and reliable operations; (2) Air: deeper understanding and actionable insights for tropical urban air quality; (3) Waste-to-resource: innovative solutions that close resource loops and support circular economy outcomes by turning waste streams into value; and (4) Sustainable urban farming: science-based approaches that improve productivity and resource efficiency for urban food resilience.

We would like to thank the USS R&I Congress 2026 committee for showcasing our projects at the event’s exhibition, and our partner agencies, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) and PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency, for sharing the outcomes with Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Mr. Zaqy Mohamad, during his tour of the exhibits on 6 Feb 2026:

• Characterisation of Tropical Urban Air Quality
Funded by the Air Quality Monitoring and Central Funding Initiative
Led by Assoc. Prof. Yu Liya, NERI Principal Investigator (PI), and NUS Civil and Environmental Engineering; Co-PIs: Dr. Santos Salinas, NUS CRISP, and Assoc. Prof. Steve Yim, NTU.

• Retrofitting Flat-Sheet Ceramic Membrane for Pre-treatment of Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
Funded by Living Lab (Water)
Led by Dr. Noguchi Hiroshi, Meiden Singapore, in collaboration with Prof. Hu Jiangyong, NERI PI, and NUS Civil and Environmental Engineering

NERI is grateful for the research funding and strong collaborations that enable our teams to bring innovations from the lab to pilot and demonstration scales. We are also encouraged by growing pathways for commercialisation, including NUS spin-offs and technology licensing with industry partners—helping research outcomes reach real deployment.

The RIE2030 USS Translation Fund will further accelerate the impact of the USS projects by strengthening the pathway from research outputs to market-ready solutions.

NERI looks forward to building more partnerships across academia, industry, and government—co-developing impactful, scalable solutions that enhance liveability, resilience, and sustainability.