Keynote Speakers

Joseph Kim

California State University Long Beach, USA

Biography: Dr. Joseph J. Kim, P.E. is a Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Engineering Management at California State University Long Beach. Dr. Kim spent several years as a field engineer and safety engineer. He is a registered professional engineer and holds a LEED AP BD+C certification. He is the recipient of 2011 ASCE ExCEEd New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, 2013 ICCEPM Best Paper Award, 2016 KSEA Chapter President Award; 2020 and 2021 USA President’s Volunteer Service Awards. His research interests include artificial intelligence (AI) applications to solve civil infrastructure systems’ optimization problems, green building materials, best sustainability practices in built environments, building information modeling, cost estimating methods, construction robotics, project delivery systems, and statistical methods for construction engineers. Dr. Kim has authored 117 journal articles and conference papers in high-quality engineering and scientific journals such as the ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Journal of Green Buildings, Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, and Journal of Transportation Research Board. Dr. Kim is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ASCE's Construction Research Council of the Construction Institute, and Korean American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA). He is a peer reviewer for many technical journals.

 

 

Chian Siau Chen, Darren

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Biography: Dr. Chian Siau Chen, Darren is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Dr. Chian is also the Director of the Centre for Soft Ground Engineering in the university. Dr. Chian obtained his Ph.D. and B.Eng. from Cambridge University and Nanyang Technological University respectively. Dr. Chian actively involves in collaborative research projects with local government agencies to recycle unwanted soils from underground construction projects as land reclamation fill materials. Dr. Chian has also expanded recycling waste material into useful pozzolans in supplementary cementitious material technology. Dr. Chian was named as Asia’s Top 10 Innovators under 35 (TR35) by the MIT Technology Review in 2016, GeoSS Promising Young Geotechnical Engineer Award in 2018, Enterprise Singapore SAC Distinguished Award in 2018, Ministry of Transport Distinguished Minister Innovation (Distinguished) Award in 2021, Award Finalist of the Land Transport Excellence Award (Most Innovative Solution) and Prominent Geotechnical Engineer Award in 2022. Dr. Chian is the current President of the Geotechnical Society of Singapore (GeoSS).

 

 

Wu Wei

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Biography: Dr Wu is an Associate Professor in Rock Engineering. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Shandong University, China in 2007, Master’s degree from NTU in 2008, and PhD degree from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland in 2013. Prior to joining NTU, he was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. He currently serves as the President of Society for Rock Mechanics & Engineering Geology (Singapore), the Associate Editor for International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, and the Assistant Chair for Research in School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NTU.

 

 

ONG Ghim Ping Raymond

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Biography: Dr ONG Ghim Ping Raymond is an Associate Professor and Associate Head (Research) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He graduated with a B.Eng (Civil) (First Class Honours) with a minor in Business from the National University of Singapore in 2003 and obtained his PhD in Civil Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 2007. Prior to his current appointment, he worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University from 2007 to 2008, a visiting assistant professor in the same university in 2009 and then a lecturer (from 2010 to 2014) and assistant professor (2014-2020) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore.
Dr Ong’s research interests include pavement materials and engineering, and multimodal transport infrastructures and operations, with emphasis on future mega-transport infrastructures/operations (such as car-lite/car-free towns, next generation seaports and airports). He has authored or co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles as well as over 100 international conference papers in these research areas. He is also actively involved in translational research grants/projects related to the engineering development of critical mega-infrastructures in Singapore (including the Tuas mega-port, Changi East Development, and Woodlands Checkpoint).
Dr. Ong is currently serving in various scientific committees in the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the America Society of Testing and Materials and the Eastern Asian Society of Transportation Studies. He is also currently serving in editorial roles in several peer-reviewed international journals. He has received several scientific awards in recognition to his achievements in transportation research, including the Alfred Noble Prize (ASCE), the Hanjin Prize (IAME), the inaugural Takeuchi Yoshio Award (OCDI) and the inaugural iSMARTi Early Career Award. His research expertise and achievements have also led to him to serve as consultant to agencies and companies such as Changi Airport Group, Defence Science and Technology Agency, Surbana Jurong Infrastructures Pte Ltd, Global Maritime and Port Services Pte Ltd, and the Korean Maritime Institute.
Dr. Ong is also passionate about sharing his thoughts on current and future issues related to his research expertise to the public. He has frequently appeared in mainstream print or internet media (such as Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, The New Paper, Today Online) and live or pre-recorded TV interviews (such as Channel NewsAsia, Channel 8 info-ed programs and news, and Suria info-ed programs) speaking on issues on transport infrastructure and operations, active mobility and car-lite/car-free initiatives.