At SUTD, we pride ourselves on encouraging gender diversity as part of our mission to nurture technically-grounded leaders and innovators. Our holistic approach has attracted a cohort of more than 40% females, compared to the rest of Singapore where females are enrolled in less than 20% of spots in engineering and architecture.

Here are 5 remarkable SUTD women — alumni and faculty — who have helped to shape and inspire the path of STEM industries for women, as well as the next generation of design innovators.


Prof Lim Sun Sun

Professor and Head of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP)

Prof Lim is Vice President of the Singapore Computer Society’s Women in Tech chapter that seeks to increase gender diversity in the tech sector through mentorship and empowerment programmes.

With her illustrious career in academia, she actively examines the social impacts of technology and has lent her expertise and insights in countless media features.

A former Nominated MP, Prof Lim advocated for clear guidelines to govern the responsible use of AI and data sharing to promote societally relevant research, championed the recognition of digital rights for children, and cautioned against dangers in addressing online falsehoods through legislation.

Her latest book is Transcendent Parenting: Raising Children in the Digital Age, building on 17 years of research on technology and the family, capturing the effect of online and mobile communication on parenting and family relationships. She is currently studying the impact of digital disruptions on the future of work and the urgent need for greater digital inclusion.

Prof Lim was also named to IMDA’s inaugural SG 100 Woman in Tech list that celebrates women who have made significant contributions to the technology sector.

Find out more about Prof Lim: https://hass.sutd.edu.sg/faculty/sun-sun-lim/


Dawn Tan

Associate Professor of Engineering Product Development (EPD)

Dr Tan is an acclaimed electrical engineer who leads the Photonics Devices and Systems Group in SUTD. Her breakthrough work in photonics has awarded her the L’Oréal for Women in Science National Fellowship, named her an Innovator under 35 by MIT Technology Review, and recognition as a Fellow of the Optical Society (OSA).

Dr Tan’s passion for advocating for women engineers led her to co-organise the 2018 SUTD Women in Technology and Design Conference. She served on the founding committee of the Singapore Computer Society’s Women in Technology Interest Group.

She has published three book chapters and over 100 refereed journal and conference articles in the field of nonlinear optics, integrated optics and silicon photonics.

We ask Dr Tan how she wants to change the mindset of young women towards engineering:
https://wearesutd.sutd.edu.sg/sutd-ians/leading-women-in-tech-design-exposure-to-science-and-engineering-has-to-start-from-young/


Prof Lynette Cheah

Associate Professor of Engineering Systems and Design (ESD)

Dr Cheah leads the Sustainable Urban Mobility research group at SUTD, which develops data-driven models and tools to reduce the environmental impact of passenger and urban freight transport.

A fellow with the Martin Family Society for Sustainability, and winner of the Singapore Challenge Prize in the Global Young Scientists Summit 2013, Dr Cheah is also currently serving as a Review Editor for the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report.

Dr Cheah tells us how design innovation is used to optimise delivery systems sustainably


Pek Yun Ning

Engineering Systems and Design alumni, co-founder and director of SGP Foods

As co-founder and director of SGP Foods, an agriculture-tech company, Yun Ning is passionate about enhancing Singapore’s food security and sustainability by growing produce at benchmark density and efficiency.

After graduation, Yun Ning started her first full-time role at Schroder Investment Management (Singapore), working closely with the company’s London headquarters.

Yun Ning shares her biggest takeaways from SUTD
https://wearesutd.sutd.edu.sg/sutd-ents/class-of-2019-four-students-and-their-best-takeaways/


Nabila Larasati Pranoto

Architecture and Sustainable Design (ASD) alumni

Nabila is a practising Architectural Designer at WOHA Architects with a range of experience working across disciplines of architecture, interior design and fine arts.

As a student at SUTD, Nabila’s master thesis project, “A Living Organism”, was awarded SUTD’s Best Thesis in the Sustainable Designs category. This project was recognised at the prestigious 2019 Coup de Coeur Award in the category “Architecture and Issue of Sea Level Rise” of the Jacques Rougerie Competition.

Nabila tells us more about her award-winning thesis

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