Update
THE LATEST INTELLIGENCE
environment. Good mentorship should
not be overlooked and since then, I have
wanted to reciprocate the mentorship to
junior members.
Every young researcher starts out small.
Good mentorship is needed to help them
succeed. I hope that I will be able to aid
younger members that have set out their
path to do science. Reframing the projects
while teaching and mentoring also allow
researchers to think and perceive
objectives from time to time. This in turn
expands our scope and drives innovation.
IN WORLD NEWS
SINGAPOREAN GREEN TALENT 2016 AWARDED
AT ALUMNI
CONFERENCE
IN WORLD
NEWS
The “Green Talents – International Forum
for High Potentials in Sustainable
Development” is an annual event hosted
by the German Federal Ministry of
Education and Research (BMBF) to
promote an international exchange of
innovative ideas. The Green Talents
Award held under the patronage of the
German Research Minister Professor
Johanna Wanka recognises young
talented researchers for their creative
ideas in pressing sustainability and
environmental protection issues. Winners
come from numerous countries and
scientific disciplines, each recognised for
their outstanding achievements in
making modern day societies
sustainable. Selected by a high-ranking
jury of German experts, the awardwinners are granted unique access to the
country’s research elite.
This year, James Guo Sheng Moo, PhD
in Materials Chemistry from Nanyang
Technological University (NTU), made
Singapore proud by emerging as one of
the Green Talent Awardees. He focused
his research on nanorobotics for
environmental monitoring and
remediation, and impressed the judges
with his efforts to understand the links
particles in concerto represents
opportunities in the removal of pollutants
and monitoring pollutant levels.
new materials that are helpful towards the
human society. I am particularly interested
in developing self-propelled micro/
nanosystems in the miniaturized scale, and
extracting useful macro-behavior. These
nano-sized tools can then be used for
remediating the environment and be used
as environmental sensors.
What made you decide to pick up a
PhD in Materials Chemistry?
Materials chemistry has become an
entrenched personal interest that has
grown on me over my years of academic
pursuit. I believe that creating novel
materials and understanding how they
interact with our surroundings and
environment is key towards synthesizing
How do you marry material science
with robotics and the environment?
At the tiniest of scale, random forces
otherwise known as Brownian motion
prevail. The use of bubbles for propulsion in
organisms has been well-documented. For
example, the violet sea snails use bubble
as flotation devices to feed on jellyfishes.
However, to recreate this biomimetic
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW WITH JAMES, GREEN TALENT AWARDEE 2016
Could you kindly tell us more about
your field of studies (in simpler
terms)?
My academic discipline undertakes the
study of nanomaterials in the environment.
On the nanoscale, these nanoparticles are
a breadth of the thickness of our hair. I
have vested interest in creating
autonomous motion in self-propelled
nanoparticles. In layman’s term, I try to
make tiny objects move by chemical
reactions. This research direction bears
strong consequences. Motion of these
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between science and human society. In
the year to come, the Green Talents have
the possibility to conduct their respective
research in Germany for up to three
months.
Held on 27 October 2016, the Green
Talents were honoured during the festive
award ceremony at the Green Talents
Alumni Meeting 2016, attended by
representatives of participating
institutions, experts, jury members,
politicians, and other distinguished
guests. It was a great networking session
for key innovators to lay the foundations
for future cooperation.
bubble-propulsion at the nanoscale to
power nanorobotics, a design-centric
course of action is needed.
We conceived tubular structures that
are able generate bubbles directionally
and push it forward to propel our artificial
devices. They are able to move in waters,
much like the fishes in waters. These
artificial nanosystems can act as first
responders towards changes in water
quality, where it warrants a shorter
response time in comparison to the
behaviour of biological fishes. When
swarms of them move in tandem, it is akin
to a colony of ants moving and working
together to serve a common purpose.
What are some common
challenges?
Failing is a common factor in
experiments, especially within the
scientific landscape. The countless
amounts of setbacks can sometimes be
too much to take in. But, with that being
said, science is about the will to find out
something and mastery will follow with
practice. What we can do is to clench our
teeth and push forth. Grit and a risktaking appetite certainly have served me
a long way. For many junior scientists like
myself who are finding our way in this
career, the negative results will help build
a strong library of knowledge and we can
take them within our stride and push
forward. Ultimately, solving a good
problem will bring a lot more satisfaction
than all the setbacks combined.
In your bio, it is mentioned that the
jury value your efforts and
willingness to train new
generations. Could you kindly
elaborate further?
Indeed, my academic journey has now
come full circle, as I reach the
penultimate year of study in my PhD
studies. I wouldn’t have won the Green
Talent if not for the excellent mentorship
received in Japan, where I did my
Masters and also, my present group
mates. I would like to take this
opportunity to thank Associate Professor
Martin Pumera and fellow members for
providing me a conducive working
Do you have a dream creation? And
if so, what is it?
Yes. I do dream that one day, we can
create programmed nanorobots that are
able to group together and perform
complex operations. Ideally, these
nanorobots are able to converge together
in many hierarchical orders, for example
in pairs, in clusters and finally in swarms,
effectively teaming together to serve a
greater purpose for performing work. The
project shows much promise and the
team is trying to build an allencompassing nanomachine capable to
navigate in a multitude of conditions for
environmental and medical applications.
The sky is the limit and we are already
pushing our imagination’s boundaries, as
we undertake on this incredible voyage of
miniaturising robotics at the nanoscale.
If a student would like to pursue
material science as a major, how
should they go about doing it?
While doing materials chemistry, keep at
heart that one is creating a material that is
useful to the human society. A scientist
role is to solve a problem that he or she
has identified. With that said, I think that
young scientists must be ambitious for
creation. Enjoy intellectual wars, take a
leap of faith and try out something new. It
may fail, but the experience that comes
with the process or the sweet success
that comes at the end is ever finer.
Additionally, talk and discuss with your
peers, as science needs a plurality of
views and free space for generation of
ideas. The companions in your amazing
voyage will be very important. Last of all,
do it with much gusto and zeal. Scientists
all share a similar passion and that is in
breaking down walls for the progress of
human society.
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