On behalf of the Directorate, a very warm welcome to the website for The Photonics Institute (TPI).
The 21st century indeed belongs to photonics,
an enabling technology with applications that span many industrial sectors,
such as communications, manufacturing, sensing, lighting, health care and life
sciences, space, energy, defence and automotive. Harnessing light will be the
key to life-changing technologies - from energy to security, from
biotechnologies to low-cost precision manufacturing, from the internet to
quantum-level information processing.
Today, the photonics industry employs millions of people worldwide.
According to the recent Photonics Industry Report, the photonics market is
expected to reach US$890 billion in 2020 and has been growing twice as fast as
the global GDP. The market is shifting towards Asia and it is imperative that
Singapore be a key player in this market opportunity. As such, establishing a world-leading photonics institute in Singapore is a prerequisite for this vision.
Our partnership with the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the
University of Southampton, UK, is the very key to developing and strengthening the capabilities of our institute at NTU. Renowned for its expertise in fibre technology and the understanding of photonics and its practical applications, the ORC is led by Professor Sir David Payne, who is also a member of the TPI Directorate. As such, there will be many opportunities for working closely together to achieve the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge, breakthroughs
and industrial innovations between Singapore and the United Kingdom.
We envision that The Photonics Institute will make a substantial impact
on Singapore and firmly put it on the map as a leading R&D nation spearheading
the development of photonics technologies, fostering the growth of
internationally competitive industries and a photonics ecosystem in the
country. We expect our R&D programmes to impact on energy independence,
environment, safety and thus the overall quality of life in Singapore through a
wider adoption of “green” photonics technologies. We also see the institute as
a centre for creating a national cohort of entrepreneurial photonics
professionals.
Indeed, these are exciting times ahead and I have every confidence that TPI
will become one of the top
photonics institute in the world, helping to tackle technological challenges of
the future.
We invite you to embark on this journey with us.
Best wishes,
Professor Tjin Swee Chuan
Co-Director of TPI