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Dr. James Utama Surjadi
Dr. James Utama Surjadi
Presidential Young Professorship Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Email: jsurjadi@nus.edu.sg
Dr. James Utama Surjadi joined the National University of Singapore (NUS) in May 2026 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering under the Presidential Young Professorship (PYP) scheme. Prior to joining NUS, he was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 2022 to 2026. He earned his B.Eng. in Mechatronic Engineering (First Class Honors, 2017) and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (2022) from the City University of Hong Kong, where he was one of three recipients of the University’s Outstanding Doctoral Research Award.
His research bridges mechanics, materials science, and advanced manufacturing, focusing on the design, modeling, fabrication, and characterization of multiscale (nano-to-macro) metamaterials that unite exceptional mechanical robustness with multifunctional performance. Beyond academia, he is a co-founder of Super Bamboo Ltd., a sustainable materials startup featured in Cleantech 50 to Watch list (2024). His research contributions have recently been recognized through the MRS Postdoctoral Award (2026) and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list (2025, Healthcare & Science).
Research Fellows
Research Fellows
Dr. Jier (Amber) Wang
Dr. Jier (Amber) Wang
PhD in Aeronautics Research
PhD in Aeronautics Research
(Imperial College London)
(Imperial College London)
Amber’s research interests lie at the intersection of advanced additive manufacturing, metamaterials, and AI-assisted computational design. Her work is focused on manufacturing-aware design of programmable and multifunctional metamaterials, combining AI with physics-based modeling to improve design optimization and fabrication reliability. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, swimming, and baking.
Research Assistants
Research Assistants
Yuyang Zhang
Yuyang Zhang
MEng in Material Science and Engineering
MEng in Material Science and Engineering
(University of Manchester)
(University of Manchester)
Yuyang’s research interests lie in the multiscale simulation of metamaterials. Her current research focuses on coupling finite element methods with atomistic simulations to bridge multiple length scales. Outside the lab, she is interested in choir, cybersecurity and enjoys writing fan fiction.
Michael Johanes
Michael Johanes
MEng in Mechanical Engineering
MEng in Mechanical Engineering
(National University of Singapore)
(National University of Singapore)
Michael's research interests lie in the metallurgy and sustainable materials synthesis fields. His work focuses on the development of low-energy, scalable processes for metamaterials synthesis and fabrication. Outside the lab, he enjoys cooking, comedy, and cycling.
Graduate Students
Graduate Students
We have immediate openings for PhD students (fully funded). Click here for more details.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Grace Tiffany
Grace Tiffany
BEng in Material Science and Engineering
BEng in Material Science and Engineering
(National University of Singapore)
(National University of Singapore)
As a second year materials science & engineering undergraduate, Grace is very interested in the semiconductor industry, while also actively exploring opportunities across various industries. Beyond academics, she enjoys playing the piano in her free time and has been playing for more than 10 years. When she’s not drowning in assignments, she loves taking advantage of student discounts to catch orchestra concerts or going on spontaneous weekend trips around Singapore with her friends.
Jyunke Ng
Jyunke Ng
BEng in Material Science and Engineering
BEng in Material Science and Engineering
(National University of Singapore)
(National University of Singapore)
Jyunke is a second-year materials science & engineering student who is passionate about the intersection between materials and information technology. He loves puzzles and leads NUS’ puzzle hunt club, Solve@NUS. In his spare time, Jyunke plays the piano and dabbles in graphic design.
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