Assistant Prof Wan Ru Leow and Lee Kuan Yew Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Xin Ying Kong - Honourees of the MIT Technology Review TR35 Asia Pacific 2024 Award

We are pleased to share that Assistant Professor Wan Ru Leow and Lee Kuan Yew Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Xin Ying Kong have been recognised as among the four winners of the MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 awards (TR35) Asia-Pacific 2024 award. This prestigious honour celebrates the top 35 innovators under age 35 making a significant impact in their fields within the Asia Pacific region.

 

Assistant Prof Wan Ru Leow has been recognised for her pioneering research in powering chemical reactions with renewable energy, moving away from traditional high-heat methods. Her work, crucial for sustainability, aims to reduce carbon emissions from chemical manufacturing and includes advancements in converting biomass and plastic waste into valuable chemicals.

 

Dr Xin Ying Kong has been recognised for developing a novel, green organocatalyst to upcycle plastics into versatile chemicals and fuels at ambient temperatures using photocatalysis. Her sustainable, metal-free approach not only addresses plastic pollution but also contributes to circular economy efforts by converting plastic waste into valuable resources through an environmentally friendly process.