SINGAPORE – Associate Professor Stephen Lim spent much of his childhood dazzling audiences in regional and international competitions with his mastery of the electric organ.

When it came to choosing a career, however, he put aside plans to become a pianist and composer, and chose academia.

Today, Prof Lim is a psychology lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and he has found a way to combine both his passions by applying his research in psychology to teaching and learning music.

He also works with several music conservatories in Asia including the College of Music in Thailand’s Mahidol University, and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at NUS.

On Friday (Dec 4), he was one of seven people lauded for their contributions at the NUS University Awards. He was given the Outstanding Educator Award for his work.

Undergraduate projects supervised by Prof Lim have won the NUS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize four times – in 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2020.

SingHealth group chief executive Ivy Ng was given the Outstanding Service Award for her contributions to the university and the community.

NUS, in a statement on Friday, said SingHealth has grown under her leadership to become the largest public healthcare cluster in Singapore, and accounts for 50 per cent of total patient visits to the public sector.

Professor Ng, in response to queries, said: “Being in healthcare is very meaningful as it allows us to help people in their greatest time of need and where it truly matters – their health and improving their quality of life.”

Associate Professor Ho Han Kiat from the Department of Pharmacy at Faculty of Science received the Outstanding Educator Award.

Prof Ho helped develop the pharmaceutical science degree programme at NUS in 2018. He said, “It is our hope that we can groom a versatile and reliable pool of graduates to nourish the growth across pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, and strengthen Singapore’s position as the regional hub for the biomedical sector.”

Professor Dong Jin Song from the School of Computing was given the University Research Recognition Award for developing a software verification framework that has more than 4000 users from more than 150 countries, among other things, said the statement.

Professor Dario Campana from the Department of Paediatrics at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine received the University Research Recognition Award. He has won international plaudits for his work on treating acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – the most common form of cancer in children, NUS said in a statement.

Other winners include Assistant Professor Feng Jiashi, who received the Young Researcher Award for his work on developing a face recognition model, and Associate Professor Ashley St. John from Duke-NUS Medical School, who was awarded the Young Researcher Award.

A drug called ketotifen developed by her research group could reverse or prevent severe dengue and has completed clinical trials.

NUS president Tan Eng Chye said: “Even in this time of crisis, the University will continue in the path of excellence in education, research and service.”

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