Funded Projects 2018

(1/2018) Post Democratizing Politics in East Asia

HU PI: Norma Osterberg-Kaufmann (Dr., Institute of Social Sciences)
NUS PI: Ja Ian Chong (Dr., Department of Political Science)
Abstract: What is the impact of democratization and regime transition on the regional and domestic political order in Asia? These questions have become salient in view of political developments in the region over the past three decades. Democratic transitions in Taiwan and South Korea in the 1990s, followed by the collapse of the Suharto government in Indonesia and the advent and partial consolidation of democracy elsewhere in the region, such as Myanmar, are welcome news to the international community. However, other parts of the region are currently undergoing democratic backsliding, notably Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
The proposed workshop series seeks to understand how such democratizing and democratic backsliding events shape inter-state relations in Asia and also its consequences on domestic politics. How do those events affect support for democracy in the region and how do people understand democracy in the different social and political contexts in Asia? How do democratization and democratic backsliding affect security cooperation, regional security, and stability in Asia? Two joint workshops (at Humboldt-Universität Berlin and National University of Singapore) aims to bring together researcher from NUS, HU and external scholars to exchange their research ideas and findings on these debates. Therefore two joint workshop will be organized to enter a dialogue and to discuss further activities in terms of joint grant-writing, publishing and other forms of academic collaboration.

(2/2018) Structure-Properties Correlations on Carbon-Metal Chalcogenides Nanostructures

HU PI: Nicola Pinna (Prof. Dr., Institute for Chemistry)
NUS PI: Daniel Chua (Prof, Department of Materials Science and Engineering)
Abstract: In this project we will combine the expertise on the synthesis of model carbon-based substrates, which are present in the group of Prof. Daniel Chua at NUS and Prof. Nicola Pinna at HU, for the synthesis and study of complex model electrocatalysts based on late transition metal oxides and sulfides supported of carbon substrates.
The main objective of this project lies on study the growth modes of different transition metal chalcogenides by the techniques developed by both groups in order to build clear structure-properties correlations and finally draw the basis for making it possible, at least for some applications, to propose the replacement of precious metal catalysts with abundant transition metal chalcogenides.

(3/2018) Augmented Intelligence in Digital Society

HU PI: Ulrich Horst (Prof. Dr., Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics)
NUS PI: Ying Chen (Associate Professor, Department of Statistics & Applied Probability)
Abstract: The digitalisation of economy is thriving globally and promotes the transition towards a data driven environment, in which the development and application of augmented intelligence, namely the cyber human interactions, will be the key to success. This proposed project is a collaborative research initiative between Humboldt University Berlin (HUB) and National University of Singapore (NUS), bringing together experts from interdisciplinary areas of mathematics, economics, and data science from both universities. Our research responds to challenges arising from the increased digitalisation of markets and its implications for market stabilisation, automated decision making, sentiment and social media. This initiative supports an ongoing Berlin CRC initiative on Mew Model for a Digital Economy where three of the Humboldt applicants are designated PIs, as well as an ongoing Singapore Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) application to be funded by MAS Singapore where the NUS applicants initiate and one Humboldt applicant is invited to the International Advisory Board.

(4/2018) A New Generation of Antimicrobial Biopolymers: Nanocopper Hybrid Materials

HU PIs: Kevin Bethke (Dipl. Chem, Institute of Chemistry); Klaus Affeld (Prof. Dr., Charité); Klaus Rademann (Prof. Dr., Institute of Chemistry) Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Computer Science)
NUS PIs: Shu Sin Chng (Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry); Suresh Valiyaveettil (Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry)
Abstract: Specifically, kapok, chitosan, and cellulose are under-utilized abundant natural biopolymers. Considering the two persistent serious problems with synthetic plastics and drug resistant bacteria, we propose to develop cellulose-nanocopper as potential biodegradable materials for dealing with problems caused by microbes in water purification, drug resistance and antifouling coatings.
Cellulose conjugated with copper nanoparticles will be synthesized and tested towards their antimicrobial properties in various fields of application. The international team from NUS, HU and Charité has sufficient experience and access to infrastructure in the proposed research fields. We are confident to deliver new materials and technologies during the interdisciplinary program.