Research Interests:

 

Design, synthesis, and characterization of materials with unique interfacial phenomena, focusing on the exploitation of physical laws governing fluid-surface interactions for enhancing engineering efficiency.

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Lecturer and Research Affliate

School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

The University of Sydney (Sydney, Australia), August 2026 - present

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Staff Scientist

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (Okinawa, Japan), Jan 2026 - Jan 2027

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Marie-Curie (EF-ENG) and RCF Research Fellow, Applied Physics 

Aalto University (Helsinki, Finland), Jan 2022 - Nov 2026.

Host: Robin Ras.

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Marie-Curie (ESR) Research Fellow, Physics at Interfaces 

Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (Mainz, Germany), Jan 2018 - Jan 2022.

Advisors: Doris Vollmer and Hans-Jürgen Butt.

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Ph.D., Materials and Mechanical Engineering

Australian National University (Canberra, Australia), Feb 2014 - Aug 2018.

Dissertation: Super(de)wettability via Scalable Hierarchical Surface Texturing. ​

Advisors: Antonio Tricoli and Vince Craig.

 

B.Eng, Chemical Engineering (1st Class Hons.)

National University of Singapore (Singapore), Aug 2009 - Aug 2013.

Dissertation: Tough Hybrid Composite Polymers for Enhanced Scratch Resistance.​​

Advisors: Tay Siok Wei and Hong Liang.

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Awards and Grants

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17. Jul 2022, Emerging Investigator Award, 17th International Conference of IACIS​

• International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists (IACIS)

• For outstanding fundamental or applied research in the field of colloid and interface science.

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16. May 2022, Academy of Finland (AoF) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship​​​​

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15. Mar 2022, Marie Skłodowska-Curie European (IF/PD/EF-ENG) Fellowship​​

• Evaluation: 100/100, Top 1% of all proposals.

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14. Jan 2018, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Early Stage Researcher (ESR) Fellowship​​​

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13. Jan 2017, Australian National University Discovery Translation Fund 2.0 (DTF238), ​​

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12. Dec 2016, “Science as Art” Award, Materials Research Society ​

 

11. Dec 2016, Graduate Student Award (Silver), Materials Research Society 

 

10. Dec 2016, Graduate Student Travel Support, Materials Research Society 

• Travel support for a graduate student as an oral presenter. 

 

9.   Dec 2016, Australian National University Media and Outreach Awards

• “Best Use of Video and Photography" Category.

 

8.   Dec 2016, Treloar Prize for Best Oral Presentation ​

• 36th Australasian Polymer Symposium (36APS).

 

7.   Dec 2016, Australian National University Vice-Chancellor’s HDR Travel Grant

• Stipend for conference travel to the MRS Fall Meeting.

 

6.   Feb 2014, University Research Scholarship and CECS HDR Scholarship (ANU)​

 

5.   Feb 2014, Australian National University Higher Degree (Research) Merit Scholarship​

 

4.   Jun 2013, National University of Singapore Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize

• Awarded the OUR Prize (university level) by the Faculty of Engineering.

• Part of 15 projects selected from the 2012/2013 university cohort.

• One of two awardees, Department of Engineering (> 1000 students).

 

3.   Apr 2013, Faculty of Engineering High Achievement Award (Innovation & Research, NUS)

• Achieved the High Achievement Award (Faculty Innovation and Research Awards).

• Best project selected from the 2012/2013 graduating cohort (Chemical Engineering, ~300 students).

 

2.   2011-2012, National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering Dean’s List 

• Top 5% of the academic cohort (Chemical Engineering, ~300 students).

1.   2011, James Dyson Award (Shortlisted), Jul 2011​

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