NUSSIFE

Assoc Prof Ong Soh Khim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering received the 2009 Emerging Leader Award in Academia from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) - the first Singaporean woman to be presented with this accolade. The award, which recognises Assoc Prof Ong's demonstrated leadership in academia and groundbreaking research in manufacturing engineering, as well as for being a role model for other women engineers, was presented at the Society's annual conference in California.

A not-for-profit educational and service organisation founded in 1950, the SWE's prestigious awards recognise contributions in demonstrated outstanding technical excellence in academia; manufacturing and construction; procurement and logistics; product research, design and engineering; quality; safety, health and environment; and sales and marketing. Assoc Prof Ong is responsible for teaching courses and leading a research team to develop innovative manufacturing tools and assistive technology devices. She also mentors undergraduates and graduates, all of whom produced significant research, continued their studies or successfully secured engineering jobs.

Asso Prof Ong attributes her conferment to the dedicated work and achievements in manufacturing research and education which she has accomplished in the last 15 years. "Receiving the Emerging Leader Award means a lot to me as I am the first female engineer from Singapore to be honoured with this Award, signalling that NUS-trained engineers are at par," she said.