Kuo-Wei Chiu
Nationality:
Taiwan
Current Job:
Assistant Professor / Director, Master of Architecture II in Advanced Architectural Design Program; READ LAB Founder/Director, Tunghai University
Graduation:
2013
Degree:
PhD
Faculty and Department:
Architecture, Design and Environment
Undergraduate University:
Iowa State University, United States
Why did you choose to do a PhD?
It was a conscious decision at that time to improve and challenge myself in terms of professional knowledge and know-how.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
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.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
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.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
“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.”
On hindsight, would you have chosen the same research supervisor for your graduate programme?
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.
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
To regenerate earth in the Anthropocene which could be brought about sustaining our workings in future cities.
If you have won any academic prize/competition or been invited to speak at an international conference—share what it is, its significance, and how you worked towards achieving it.
“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.”
Share something fun from your graduate journey at NUS.
The best relaxing fun is to try out local food in traditional stores and corner shophouse eateries. Then, get on park connectors and do the walk every time I felt stressed and under performed. The Eurasian culture in swordsmanship in Singapore is one of the untapped jewel. I always enjoyed getting a lesson or two whenever I can in the Eurasian Club learning about ancient longswords of the Fiorei dei Liberi system.
Briefly share a highlight from your graduate school journey.
My daughter, Aletheia C.-E. Chiu was born in the NUH while I was preparing for my PhD Qualifying Examination (QE) in 2008.
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
As I recalled, my less confident subject has always been associated with numbers- Mathematics. Yet, one the fundamentals in PhD studies if you go by quantitative research would require statistics and lots of that. I took a statistic research methodology class as one of my required subject during my first year at NUS, though I am much inclined to do a qualitative research trajectory. I was depressed for not able to keep up the tutorials and lectures. However, in the midst of all confusions, the ray of hope came in when I gave myself some time off to try out several local corner cafes and over a few weeks consistently, I found myself drinking teh tarik and started to turn my focus of the problem away by looking at lecture notes in the vastly different way. I am less focused on mathematical formula and calculations, but rather, by the infusion of teh and atmosphere i was in, I started to believe I can deal with those statistics by analysing them in chew size way. I looked at those statistics in spatial structural manner and started to research geometry and layers upon layers of drawings. And, my making fun of myself and allow myself to shift away from the immediate emotions and refocusing myself again and again in drinking teh first, then go back to draw and re-draw those notes, I gained new insights and started to understand the logics behind those unfriendly equations as architectural design elements. Eventually, I am able to decode and explain those intrinsics and got my needed passing score of B+ in that subject in order to retain my average for research scholarship. Since then, I have learned to give self a bit more gracious moments and allowance from daily stresses and yet, never give up easily without trying to look at the problem in different ways first. At least, for me is to drink more teh tarik (and perhaps as age goes by, teh siew dai).
How did NUS prepare you for your career?
It strengthened me with world-class knowledge and most valuable talented yet empathetic supervisor ever known. The research environment in the Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture (CASA) and experiences to be several faculty’s TA (Teaching Assistant) have connected me to very talented research individuals and many local undergraduate students. These are valuable friendships and mutual learning opportunities and have proven true till to-date of the strong bonds and positive connections I have gained.
How did your experiences as a graduate student shape and guide you in your current career?
The positive attitude in striving for research excellence; a competitive mind-set with empathy act; disciplined yet loving; the ability for cross-cultural communications and critical thinking.
Share something about campus life at NUS that new students would be interested to hear about.
Local foods offered at the campus are wonderful in taste and better at price. Library are wonderful place to idle and contemplate.
Do you have any interesting personal stories to share? For example, about your journey to get into graduate school, personal hobbies/interests.
I am an enthusiast in archery, historical fencing and ancient Chinese zither (古琴). Eurasian Club offers great historical fencing classes and I personally love the Fiorei dei Liberi longsword the best.
What message would you like to give to students interested in graduate studies in NUS?
While you will be with some of the world’s best and brightest, keep your caring hearts glow and find ways to practice them. The able and capable student is always the one who understand empathy and responsibility. How you choose to respond to your given ability will make your graduate study more fulfilling and meaningful.