Kuo-Wei Chiu

It was a conscious decision at that time to improve and challenge myself in terms of professional knowledge and know-how.

I was searching for a well balanced (knowledge skill sets and experiences) in talented faculty representation. NUS definitely in my short lists. While NUS provides very generous (full) research scholarship and responded my inquiries very efficiently and with professional (“can do”) attitudes that left the deepest impression amongst all other received offers that came in at later date(s). That sort of professional and “can-do” attitudes was the decisive factor for my pick.

My undergraduate experiences both at UNSW Australia and IOWA STATE UNI of the United States were more colorful in terms of variety of activities and available opportunities to do part-time jobs one can and allowed to expose to. Graduate school at the NUS by the given nature in academic training and learning centers that stressed more in studies would proportionately limiting any extra social and leisure events one should always have the desire to. If undergraduate was anything to train-up my reasonings and critical thinkings as foundation, it was by and through various exposures in social, liberal and cultural events that I have been immersed and given. Whereas by comparing graduate experience, it is not a contrast to the undergraduate one, but rather a continuation of that foundation carry forth into personal goal settings and ways to achieve them. Accumulatively, graduate school experience did allowed me to be more critical and disciplined to get things done professionally yet with the ability to be in a more graceful yet determined manner.

“I did my Masters by coursework at the UNSW Australia specialised in Urban Design and Development. I scored a number of high distinctions (HD) in most core modules. In one of my design thematics, I was interested for future cities and how they might be better prepared for devastating future scenarios, such as catastrophe by war and a combination of natural and human errors. My PhD research was on discerning and transcend deep and intelligible structure(s) of rapid urban environments. I seek to understand how human cultures can be more sustainable while manifested upon space and by nature.
I learned, even to this day in my academic advisory role, if students are to do well in research or in coursework, one would be better off to know more about environmental (planetary and inter-planetary including, Earth and beyond) needs mutually sustainable and livable as equals. Students should be given more reflective time and opportunities taking more self-interests in generalist knowledge and out in and with the nature to be contemplative. Learning to know what others’ needs are and how to relax yourself alone are quite important. Students should aim to have a number of positive or healthy leisures would be essential for learning from others in order to appreciate human cultures deeper. This is, in my opinion, helpful to envision and understand future cities, as well as cities’ future.”

Definitely “Yay!”, I would have chosen the same research supervisor -Prof Johannes Widodo for my graduate programme because he understood how to stood by students’ needs and trust me at all circumstances with empathy and insights. My potentials can be developed and furthered is because of his selfless acts and role model established for me. His willingness to spend time coffee chatting away everything are very effective when he created that atmosphere comfortable enough for me to learn.

To regenerate earth in the Anthropocene which could be brought about sustaining our workings in future cities.

“1. 3rd Place, Mars City Design 2020, Mars Architecture Category; It is a competitive global multi-disciplinary future design event that required substantiate advanced architectural visions and concepts. I am the winning team’s sole advisor and multi-disciplinary design coach. I have self-learned cross-disciplinary knowledge (Mars technology, astronomical science, physics, biology, biomimicry, etc.) and by extensive readings, I developed several pedagogical methods and design strategies to coach the winning team.

2. Outstanding Teacher’s Award 2020, Tunghai University, Taichung Taiwan; It is the University-wide Award through internal nomination and approved through three levels (Departmental Committee, Dean’s Committee and University Committee) of ascertaining the credibility. Since my graduation from the NUS in June 2013 and landed my academic position at Tunghai University in Taiwan in August 2013, I have maintained strict discipline to develop new teaching modules every two years, and initiate experimental design modules every year. I integrate liberal arts education and lead by examples to students in team-building and design education. Under my directorship for the Master of Architecture 2, in Advanced Architectural Design Programme, we are able to turn over less well performed intakes (graduate students) into internationally design awardees and reestablished their confidence while also tap and further into their own potentials. The outcome is significant and consistent, which has let me to this University prestigious award.

3. Outstanding International Design Competitions (IDPs) Advisor, Ministry of Education (Taiwan), 2019 and 2020; My cross-disciplinary design teachings and mentorship is consistent and able to deliver since 2016 to-date. The Ministry of Education in Taiwan has acknowledged my performance with the Award.

4. Taiwan Invention Patents- P.A.C.E. Air Purification System (PM2.5) Design, Nov. 11, 2020; I am the first faculty by the 60+ years’ history of Tunghai Architecture School to award this Invention Patent. The significance lies in the ability to develop an effective one-year graduate programme in the design-centered architecture curriculum to deliver proof of concepts and meet all specs for inventions, on top of the rigorous architectural design curriculum. The Invention Patents gained carry extra weights by allowing students to learn innovative know-how and envision designs for creation. Together, students and design instructors earned the Invention Patents and hence, stronger.

5. Special Interview by the BBC on cutting edge science and innovation on September 12, 2019. BBC flew in from London to interview me on my READ LAB’s innovation on Biomimicry Urbanism. Urban design and pioneering research on the P.A.C.E. and Shark-skin and silver ants inspired urbanism projects for future MRT and Station System are selected for interview by the BBC crew. Since graduated from the NUS in 2013, I have self-studied biomimicry and many other disciplines in order to further on my own PhD research postulate on knowledge structural conjunctures between culture-space-nature. The knowledge gained cross-disciplinarily has shaped my research work to new ventures and be eventually be known by the BBC in search of world’s cutting edge design innovation in the region.

6. Awarded Best Research Paper on Smart Cities Category in The Architecture and Civil Engineering (ACE) Conference 2019, held in Fort Canning, Singapore. It is a premiere academic research conference for the presentation of new advances and research results in the fields of Architecture Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering. The conference brought together leading researchers, architects, engineers and scientists in the following domains from around the world: Sustainable Energy and Environmental Sciences, Urban Planning and Property Development, Smart Homes, Smart Cities and Smart Nations driven by Internet of Things (IoTs).

7. Biomimicry Global Design Challenge (BGDC), Multiple Awards Winnings in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020; To mention, in 2018, we have set an unbroken record in multiple award winnings to-date. Our teams of 5 members divided for 3 teams to compete have gained all the available given awards in 2018, namely: Finalist, Honorable Mention (3 teams selected only), and Award of Merit.”

“1. I am working on two pioneering research by design inventions, ArcWing-MK1 and Trinity-D20. They are both concerned with future urban design improving functions and aesthetic of cities in the epoch of Anthropocene. The trans-network effects of these projects covered trans-Pacific regions and the Caribbean Sea.
2. I am invited by the Taiwan Space Union TSU (台灣太空科學聯盟) to participate and co-create the development of outer space technology and design in Taiwan since 2021.
3. I continue to invest in time and labor for future adaptive design capability for cities with ancient civilization. Such as the DSP (Dew-Space-Pav) in Nepal.”