Science Masterclass
17 May, Saturday
Experience excellence in teaching as our award-winning professors bring you through interesting scientific topics.
1 pm - 1.25 pm
Physics
Entering the Age of Quantum Science and Technology
Recent years have seen tremendous experimental advances in engineering quantum devices which are large in scale, yet still controllable at the microscopic level. This has resulted in a new age of science and technology where it is becoming possible to use the laws of quantum mechanics to fundamentally change the way we perform information processing, to transmit data, to perform measurements of physical quantities, or to encrypt and decrypt messages, resulting in the promises of quantum computing, quantum communications, quantum metrology and quantum cryptography, respectively. This talk will give a pedagogical introduction as to what this quantum revolution is and the current state of affairs in the world as well as in Singapore.
2 pm - 2.25 pm
Quantitative Finance
Growing Your Savings: The Power of Compounding
This talk will cover the basic interest theory from financial mathematics. We will explain compound interest and the accumulation function and apply them in cash flows. We will also discuss how compound interest is used to accumulate wealth and plan expenditure, as well as apply compound interest in the context of retirement planning.
Chemistry
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
Simple chemistry will be used to demonstrate how the second law of thermodynamics leads to a winding down of the universe. Given that all natural processes go to, perhaps uninteresting, equilibrium states, we will briefly describe the character of some interesting phenomena that chemists work on.
Cross-Disciplinary Programme Environmental Studies
Shorelines of the Future
Coastal urbanisation and climate change are driving the global proliferation of artificial coastal defences. These structures have significant effects on the ecology of marine habitats, leading to the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Ecological engineering - the integration of ecological principles and engineering for the benefit of both humans and nature - is a form of nature-based solution that is increasingly adopted to alleviate the negative impacts associated with coastal defences, by improving their ecological functioning. One of the more successful eco-engineering strategies is to add tiles with complex topographies, microhabitats and water-retaining features. These can increase the richness and abundance of species reminiscent of native communities. Moving forward, how can we incorporate habitat complexity and green elements into new coastal defence designs and what additional benefits can they provide?
2.30 pm - 2.55 pm
Life Sciences
Insect Reproduction for Sustainable Solutions to Environmental Problems
Insects play important roles in our ecosystems and are increasingly important to sustainability efforts. This talk explores how understanding their reproductive biology can enhance how we harness beneficial species (e.g. black soldier flies) for sustainable food waste management and to control harmful species (e.g. Wolbachia-based reproductive manipulation of mosquitoes).
Cross-Disciplinary Programme
Data Science and Economics
Data Science: New Tricks for Economics
Economics has historically been the most quantitative of the social sciences. Econometrics, a subfield of economics concerned with providing quantitative answers to economic questions, is the original data science. Economics could be described as a science about making decisions under constraints and in today’s world companies prioritise data-driven actionable insights. Fusing the domains of economics and econometrics with data science practices can produce synergies. In this talk, we will delve into exciting developments occurring at the intersection of economics and data science.
Food Science and Technology
Improving Sleep Quality by Altering Our Diet
Adequate and good quality sleep is essential for good health and wellbeing. However, many people suffer from insufficient and poor sleep quality because of stress, some occupational demands and ageing. Pharmaceutical sleep aids are widely used; however, these treatments can only be used in the short-term due to the risk of intolerance, dependence and increasing sleepiness in the next day. Dietary supplements have been shown to improve sleep quality in Singaporean older adults. This improvement was predominantly observed in poor sleepers and this could be linked to the modulation of their gut microbiome composition. Higher protein intake, particularly from plant-based protein, is also associated with good sleep quality in older adults. Dietary modification - such as having certain dietary habits or taking supplements - is therefore an effective, affordable and safe alternative strategy.
NUS Libraries
Learning to Learn
Learn how to become strategic and effective learners both inside and outside of the classroom through the science of learning. You will discover tips and tricks to debunk common learning myths and be provided an approach designed to not only reveal effective techniques for mastering your own learning, but also shown how these techniques can be integrated into their daily lives. This talk will cover how the brain tricks you from having good study habits, the learning strategies that will help you be better learners and why understanding the science behind your learning is important.
Statistics
Seeing the Unseen: A Journey Through Spatial Data
How can we make smart predictions in places where we do not have data? Whether it is estimating a basketball player's shooting accuracy across the court, studying how genes behave across different parts of a tissue or measuring forest biomass in areas we cannot reach - spatial statistics gives us powerful tools to learn from data that vary across space. In this talk, we will explore how statisticians analyse spatial data, collect samples, correct for possible biases and errors and build models to uncover patterns and support decisions. We will also look at real-world applications in sports analytics, spatial biology and environmental science and touch on the challenges of modelling spatial dependence.
3 pm - 3.25 pm
Data Science and Analytics
Exploring Low-Dimensional Worlds and Data Science
Classical statistics traditionally treats observations as real numbers or elements within real vector spaces. However, modern statistical challenges increasingly involve data that reside in more complex spaces that, while not strictly Euclidean, exhibit rich geometric structure. This talk will discuss the manifold fitting problem, emphasising recent insights and its implications for contemporary data science. Several applications of manifold fitting will also be showcased.
Mathematics
Infinity Paradoxes: When Math Defies Intuition
Infinity often appears in school mathematics - whether in limits, sequences or the idea of numbers continuing forever - but what does it really mean? In this talk, we will explore the fascinating and often counter intuitive world of mathematical infinity. We begin with Hilbert’s Grand Hotel, a thought experiment in which a hotel with an infinite number of fully occupied rooms can still accommodate more guests, simply by shifting everyone over. We will then dive into the surprising discovery by Georg Cantor that not all infinities are equal: some infinite sets are strictly 'larger' than others. These paradoxes challenge our everyday intuition, revealing the importance of mathematical precision and logical reasoning. Join us for a journey into the infinite, where the impossible becomes logically sound and even beautiful.