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Media Coverage of TPI Opening Ceremony

The Photonics Institute received favourable and comprehensive media coverage of its opening ceremony held on 30 Oct 2014. Below are some of the articles published by renowned media organisations:

 
New photonics institute at NTU promises to light up local research scene
Channel NewsAsia, 30 Oct 2014, 10.00pm
 
A new photonics institute was launched at NTU and with it, promises of breakthrough innovations that could impact the Internet, lighting and high-precision instruments. The 4,000-square-metre institute is touted to be one of the largest in the world, and comprises five different research centres related to the fields of photonics and optics. It received more than S$100 million in funding from industry partners and various national agencies. Prof David Payne said “photonics is everywhere. It powers the internet, it navigates airliners, it cuts steel and it marks your iPhone. And there is going to be a lot more of that as photonics get smarter and better”. One of the five research centres is COFT, set up in partnership with the University of Southampton. It will develop technologies in specialty optical fibre, with possible applications in areas such as Internet communications, manufacturing, sensors, biomedical and the military. Prof Tjin Swee Chuan said that within the next few years, they hope the institute can generate new technologies which can be spun off into companies.
- Also reported on Channel NewsAsia online, 938Live on XinMSN and Vasantham (11.00pm).


NTU launches $100m facility to advance fibre optics research
AsiaOne, 30 Oct 2014

The next-generation of ultra-fast Internet or ground-breaking electronic circuits, powered by light and not electricity, could soon become a reality. NTU has launched the Photonics Institute, which will focus on research involving light technology such as those found in fibre-optic cables, lasers and consumer products. The national-level institute, which is a partnership between NTU and the University of Southampton, aims to establish Singapore as a powerhouse on photonics and optics research. NTU President, Prof Bertil Andersson said photonics is an enabling technology with applications ranging from communications, to manufacturing, and even space technology.


NTU, Southampton U in photonics, optics research tie-up
The Business Times, 31 Oct 2014, page 14

Imagine if the Internet or electronic circuits are powered by light instead of electricity. This could be possible with the launch of a new institute devoted to photonics and optics research at NTU, which has received funding of S$100 million for current projects. The national-level institute is a partnership between NTU and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom (UK) and the latter is home to the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), also known as the birthplace of the fibre-optic Internet now found in most homes. The institute is headed by NTU professors Tjin Swee Chuan and Nikolay Zheludev, as well as David Payne, director of ORC. Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck said the new institute would play a key role in training research scientists and engineers for both the public and private sectors, and the partnership would position locally based photonics companies to tap global and regional growth opportunities. NTU also officially opened the Centre for Optical Fibre Technology (COFT), Singapore's first high-tech fibre-optic research manufacturing facility. This allows the Republic to manufacture experimental fibre optic cables for the first time. Prof Payne said that the new centre would be able to fabricate various types of optical fibres, such as soft glass, silica and photonic-crystal fibres, as well as special fibres used in biomedical and sensing applications. Already, the new centre has 11 projects lined up and Prof Tjin said that a key mission of the photonics institute is also to provide manpower training in the field of photonics and optics for Singapore.


$100m centre to drive research in new tech
The Straits Times, 31 Oct 2014, page B4 and online

Yesterday, the nation unveiled its first Photonics Institute, complete with high-tech machines to research and make next-generation lasers and fibre-optic cables that will enable such breakthroughs. Backed by this $100 million facility at NTU, Singapore has joined a global league of nations with such advanced research capabilities, which include the United States and Britain. Current research in photonics includes work on hollow fibre-optic cables and better compression and transmission technologies for faster Web surfing. Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck, speaking yesterday at the launch of the institute, said ASEAN's rising affluence will increase regional demand for consumer devices, which in turn drive the need for laser-aided manufacturing. "Our goal is to spin off companies and license products developed from our research efforts for commercial use," said NTU Prof Tjin Swee Chuan, a co-director of the Photonics Institute. It will work with the ORC at the University of Southampton in Britain. ORC director David Payne also serves as a co-director of the NTU facility.


NTU launches institute of research light
TODAY, 31 Oct 2014, page 21 and online

To establish the Republic as a powerhouse in photonics and optics research, NTU has set up a research institute in partnership with the University of Southampton in the UK. The Photonics Institute was officially opened yesterday, together with the last of its five research centres, the Centre for Optical Fibre Technology. The research centre houses South-east Asia’s most advanced fibre manufacturing facility, which will aid in researching experimental fibres and developing specialised fibre optic cables for industry partners. NTU president Bertil Andersson said: “One objective we have for the institute is to develop and drive innovations on a global scale, bring them to market and stay competitive in today’s knowledge-based economy.”. NTU Prof Tjin Swee Chuan, one of the institute’s co-directors, said with its ability to conduct advanced research in-house, the development of new fibres can be done faster and at lower costs. The Photonics Institute, together with its Southampton counterpart, will be the biggest photonics research centre in the world.


NTU is partnering university in UK to set up the Photonics Institute to develop cheap optical fibre products with high efficiency
Lianhe Zaobao, 31 Oct 2014, page 8

NTU is partnering the University of Southampton, UK to set up the Photonics Institute to develop photonics technology for cheaper optical fibre products with higher efficiency. The institute aims to train 120 post-graduates in photonics specialisations, ranging from high power lasers to meta-materials. The institute has received more than $100 million in funding from various national agencies and industry partners. The Photonics Institute will comprise five different research centres, and will have a total of 120 scientists and staff with advanced optoelectronics equipment and research facilities. Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck said that the powerful research teams would help local photonics companies to ace in the global market especially with the increasing regional business opportunities. The Optoelectronics Research Centre is one of the largest optoelectronics institutes. The research centre has provided support to NTU and conducted training for some researchers to master advanced photonics technology. NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson said that the project is an important path for Singapore and Britain to exchange technological knowledge, ground-breaking research, and industrial innovative technology.


NTU and university in Britain co-launch research centre for new optoelectronics technology
MyPaper (Chinese), 31 Oct 2014, page B2

NTU is partnering the University of Southampton to set up the Photonics Institute to develop photonics technology for cheaper optical fibre products with higher efficiency. The Institute aims to train 120 post-graduates in photonics specialisations, ranging from high powered lasers to meta-materials. The institute has received over $100 million in funding from various national agencies and industry partners. The new institute will have a total of 120 scientists and staff and it will be equipped with advanced optoelectronics equipment and research facilities.

- Coverage on the Photonics Institute was initiated by CCO. See news release.