2025 Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Professors

Our eminent speakers, Prof Steven Chu and Prof Yael Kalai, were appointed as Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Professors in relation to the public lecture on 8 January 2025.  Sponsored by the Lee Foundation, the event was organised as a partner event of the Global Young Scientists Summit 2025, with support from the National Research Foundation Singapore.

[From left] Insightful lectures by Prof Steven Chu on challenges and solutions for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and exploration of cryptography by Prof Yael Kalai.

Prof Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate in Physics (1997) and the former U.S. Secretary of Energy, is renowned for his groundbreaking work in laser cooling and trapping of atoms. In his lecture titled “The Challenges in Getting to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions”, Prof Chu addressed the urgent issue of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and offered a comprehensive perspective on the path to a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Prof Yael Kalai, ACM Prize Laureate in Computing (2022), is widely celebrated for her pioneering contributions to cryptography and computational theory. Titled “Compressing Proofs using Cryptography”, her lecture explored how cryptographic methods can shorten proofs while preserving their integrity, unlocking exciting possibilities for more efficient computation in fields of cybersecurity and blockchain.

[From left] Prof Wang Huaxiong (Co-Director, The National Centre for Research in Digital Trust, NTU), Prof Wen Yonggang (Assoc Provost, Graduate Education, NTU), Prof Steven Chu, Prof Yael Kalai, Prof Sum Tze Chien (Director, IAS NTU) and Prof Lydia Wong (Director, Global Alliance of Industries, NTU).