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In 2019, TCT launched the primary TCT Girls in 3D Printing Innovator Award in collaboration with Girls in 3D Printing to have a good time the ladies main the cost in 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM). The winner was Professor Wai Yee Yeong, Affiliate Professor at Nanyang Technological College in Singapore, who was recognised for contributions to 3D bio-printing, electronics printing and metallic printing analysis over close to 20 years within the AM trade.
Because the votes proceed to pour in for this 12 months’s award, TCT caught up with Prof. Yeong to debate her newest 3D printing analysis, how the trade would possibly look to shut the engineering gender hole, and the significance of training in AM.
TCT: Firstly, how did your profession within the AM trade begin and what impressed you to affix the trade?
Prof. Yeong: I’m a skilled mechanical engineer, having studied Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering in Nanyang Technological College. I’m very focused on engineering and science, taking delight on the analytical and programs coaching as an engineering undergraduate. It’s a pleasure to discover ways to create new engineering options or merchandise for fixing grand challenges or to enhance the standard of lives. Via my undergraduate research, I used to be uncovered to 3D printing expertise. Properly, that was method again in 12 months 2004. The liberty of design afforded by this distinctive expertise is nothing in need of fascinating. I’m amazed by the potential of this expertise, and likewise felt actually compelled to study extra about it. That’s the place I made a decision to pursue a PhD in 3D printing. That curiosity coupled with my ardour in biomedical, lead me to finish my PhD thesis on the subject of 3D printing biodegradable scaffold for tissue engineering.
After my PhD, I joined the trade of biomedical, engaged on totally different medical merchandise together with coronary stent and call lens. These working expertise is important for my growth in biomedical analysis because it allows me to develop a holistic understanding in biomedical expertise from analysis to innovation and in direction of implementation as a business product.
In 2013, I joined NTU as a school and obtained tenured in 5 12 months’s time. At NTU, I arrange my unbiased analysis group, specializing in bioprinting and 3D printing. In 2014, I used to be a part of the group that received the NRF medium measurement centre grant which allowed us to arrange the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing. In 2018, I helped the group to safe the grant that drove the establishing of HP-NTU digital manufacturing Corp Lab. I function the programme director for each labs now.
TCT: You and your group publish a number of analysis papers a 12 months. This 12 months, what are you and your group engaged on?
Prof. Yeong: My group are equally as passionate as I’m. We labored on a number of frontiers in 3D printing, particularly bioprinting of cells and tissues, electronics printing, 3D printing of recent metallic alloys and making use of machine studying for 3D printing. All these subjects are rising and have the potential to disrupt their respective industries, together with medical, robotics, implant and digital manufacturing.
TCT: You might have obtained over $8 million of funding to fund your analysis. What does this funding cowl and the way does it affect your analysis?
Prof. Yeong: These funding allowed us to buy important devices and rent the precise abilities to carry out the analysis. As well as, we additionally develop a pipeline of future expertise by coaching PhD and grasp graduates who would be the ones constructing sustainable ecosystems of 3D printing industries. These funded tasks additionally allowed me to work with totally different trade companions, from aerospace to supplies to medical corporations, making a wide-reaching community that additional allow new discoveries and cross-discipline analysis.
TCT: As a feminine researcher and chief within the trade, what are some the challenges you may have confronted and the way do you suppose the trade can change to shut the gender hole?
Prof. Yeong: Whereas there are good variety of feminine engineers as a complete, there may be definitely room for (massive) enchancment to shut the gender hole. I’ve little question that the feminine engineers carry out pretty much as good because the male engineers. There’s a legacy problem and there may be additionally the difficulty of society notion. We can’t permit anybody to inform our women that they can not do sure issues simply due to the gender of an individual. It’s a basic mindset that we’d like each educator and mother or father to concentrate on, with a view to eradicate such over-arching statements. Additionally it is vital that we have to encourage the feminine engineers to not be influenced by the overall notion, and be courageous to discover any industries of their curiosity.
It’s an encouraging development that many corporations now take a critical on this and are taking actual motion to shut the gender hole, resembling establishing formal unit of inclusivity and variety. We want extra corporations and even training institutes to affix such motion, with a view to create sufficient momentum for actual influence. I additionally really feel that it may very well be a worthy funding for corporations to create devoted female-centric packages, to develop or broaden the pool of feminine worker. It’s because we face a continual problem now and devoted measure is critical to create the modifications that we want to see.
I see challenges as a type of coaching. It’s a should to do my greatest, and on the identical time, I don’t attribute the challenges confronted on gender problem. I imagine the working atmosphere can be extraordinarily vital. I’m fortunate that I’ve a supportive household, and office which have enabled my achievement to this point.
TCT: In 2019, you received the primary TCT Girls in 3D Printing Innovator Award. How did it really feel to win? Do you suppose awards like this are vital in selling/bettering gender range within the trade?
Prof. Yeong: It was a surreal second, figuring out that I’ve the unimaginable honour to obtain the inaugural award, because the award is open to the entire world. I’ve been working and dedicating my profession in 3D printing , with out anticipating any “glory” as the method of studying and researching is already a sufficiently big reward for me. The award additional cements my dedication to this area.
The TCT Girls in 3D Printing Innovator Award is unquestionably an vital platform to advertise gender range within the trade. It’s a key step to boost consciousness, not simply within the feminine, but in addition within the male inhabitants. We want everybody to take part if we wish to create actual modifications. This award can be a key recognition that may additional spur females to attaining better heights of their profession.
TCT: At the moment, you maintain quite a lot of totally different roles inside totally different organisations. How do you handle these roles and what does each contain?
Prof. Yeong: I function programme director for 2 analysis labs, particularly SC3DP and HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corp Lab. These roles are associated to 3D printing however they’ve a distinct focus. In SC3DP, it’s a basic analysis centre that works with a number of corporations and industries. We examine probably the most difficult issues and purpose to coach 100 PhD college students on 3D printing, new supplies, new processes, new simulation fashions and new functions.
Within the HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corp Lab, the velocity and drawback statements are a lot sharper as the main focus is for the corp lab goals which has a a lot nearer tie-up with the corporate.
TCT: In your function as Affiliate Chair for college kids at Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological College, you handle over 2,500 college students. Why do you suppose it’s vital to advertise the trade to youthful individuals to shut the training hole?
Prof. Yeong: There are a number of facets that might influence the trade.
Schooling on 3D printing: Engineering training has at all times been a piece in progress, we have to replace the best way we educate and create new modules to switch the data of 3D printing in a scientific method. In my faculty, I’ve created a number of new modules in 3D printing for undergraduate and graduate stage. Additionally it is vital to maintain updating the instructing supplies because the world of 3D printing is occurring (and altering) exterior the category because the course are being delivered actual time.
Profession and internship alternative: The ecosystem of 3D printing is dynamic and nonetheless at rising stage. College students or youthful individuals are not completely clear on what sort of jobs that they’ll get or contribute to. Additionally it is vital for corporations to determine excessive potential job features that may present steady studying alternatives for the individual on the job. This can inspire the youthful era to dedicate their profession aspirations to the sphere of 3D printing.
Partnership with trade: The trade of 3D printing is unquestionably important and is accountable for shaping the strategic financial system panorama of 3D printing. Nevertheless, many new functions and high-end know-hows reside within the training institutes who’re coaching PhD and graduates. It’s important to type a partnership between the training institute with the trade, with a view to meet the fast and long-term profession wants of a 3D printing career.
TCT: Lastly, do you may have something thrilling arising that you’re engaged on/planning which you’ll be able to inform us about?
Prof. Yeong: Oh sure! There are a number of excellent news to share with you.
I’ve simply been awarded one of the prestigious grants by the Nationwide Analysis Basis of Singapore. The grant is NRF Investigatorship Class of 2022. The NRF Investigatorship is designed to help a small variety of wonderful Principal Investigators who’ve a monitor report of analysis achievements that establish them as leaders of their respective area of analysis. I’ve been awarded virtually S$3mil to develop 3D Bioelectronics Tissue In direction of Tissue-Electronics Interface and Precision Drugs. This undertaking is a convergent of my 2 key analysis portfolio, particularly bioprinting and electronics printing. I’m very excited forge a brand new paradigm in 3D printed Bioelectronics Tissues. Bioelectronics is the world, which offers with interfacing electrical circuits with organic species. These electrical alerts, if harnessed efficiently, can be utilized to sense, stimulate, and regulate tissue’s features. That is an rising space with enormous potential for futuristic bioelectronics and electroceutical therapies. I’m very enthusiastic about it!
In October 2021, I used to be honoured as one of many of the Singapore 100 Girls in Tech (SG100WIT) 2021. Organised by the Singapore Pc Society (SCS), in partnership with SG Girls in Tech and Infocomm Media Growth Authority (IMDA) the listing recognises and celebrates ladies primarily based in Singapore who’ve been inspiring and have made vital contributions to the tech trade. The SG 100 Girl in Tech is a part of the SG Girls in Tech initiative launched in 2019 by IMDA and supported by the neighborhood and trade companions. It seeks to spotlight the wealthy range of roles and highlight the function fashions in Singapore’s dynamic ICT sector, within the hope of inspiring women and girls to pursue a profession in STEM (science, expertise, engineering and arithmetic). Nominees wanted to exhibit tech experience, management and imaginative and prescient, and neighborhood advocacy. Their achievements and contributions to the tech trade needed to be impactful, influential and, above all, inspiring.
In 2021, I additionally accomplished one among my most memorable tasks, albeit not on 3D printing. I’ve led the editorial group of the college as Editor, and revealed the MAE40 Commemorative e-Ebook. This ebook showcases the wonderful tales and folks, together with workers, college students, and alumni, who’ve helped to form the college all through the years from 1981 to 2021. The MAE40 Commemorative Ebook permits the world to find the journey of the college and lift public consciousness on the contributions of MAE to the event of science and expertise. The ebook is freely accessible on-line.
Voting for the the 2022 TCT Wi3DP Innovator Awards closes on twenty third February 2022. Enter your vote right here.
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